Yes, There Was a "No" Vote on Short-Term Rentals in Beacon

Hi,

Yes, there was a 4-3 "No" vote on Short-Term Rentals in Beacon, and yes we are compiling an article for it. The vote Monday evening and its results took many by surprise. It's not a straightforward issue, so we are gathering information and quotes to present it as clearly as we can. Even the headline is tricky to write! Because if we write it one way, it looks like Beacon's City Council isn't supportive of short-term rentals, when in fact they did show support for them, and had all been crafting legislation to make short-term rentals legal. But four of the people on the City Council voted against the legislation they had been working on. That results in short-term rentals remaining prohibited by default because they are not on the list called Schedule of Use Regulations. That list is part of the Beacon Zoning Ordinance, which, according to City Attorney Nick Ward-Willis, states: "Any use not specifically listed shall be deemed to be prohibited."

VOTING RESULTS
Terry Nelson No
George Mansfield No
John Rembert No
Amber Grant No
Jodi McCredo Yes  
Lee Kyriacou Yes
Mayor Randy Casale Yes

So... Short-term rentals remain not on the list.

Stay tuned as we compile our article...

The Storm Photos - Macrobursts and Tornadoes Everywhere Ripping Down Trees, Cutting Power

The fire in this picture is on 9D, near Stony Kill Farm. A transformer exploded on the road.
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog - photos taken from various sources, noted below.

Turns out that a sick day, with three kids in quarantine after a diagnosis of strep throat, was a blessing in disguise. A major storm hit Beacon (and the Hudson Highlands, NYC, CT, PA, and NJ) at around 4 pm on Tuesday, May 15. Weather watchers were expecting rain, but when warnings of hail and high winds came across the TV, severe-weather veterans took to their yards to bring in potted plants and lower the basketball hoops. My neighbor is such a veteran weather watcher that he warned me of imminent hail before I embarked on a family walk to Key Food to fill up the fridge after my little ones ate through everything. An hour after returning, my phone vibrated its insistent SOS call, which we usually only hear for Amber Alerts. Only this time, it said "Tornado in your area. Take shelter."

"This was the storm rolling in! Hudson Valley Weather called this photo a gust front!"
Photo Credit: Sheila Lassen, Mountainville, NY (Part of Cornwall)

I gathered my brood, and we went straight to the basement. Thank goodness that for Mother's Day I treated myself to a bunch of new flashlights and lanterns. After a brief power outage from our winter blizzards, I realized I had no working flashlights anymore. Normally at this time of day, my husband would be working in New York City, but on Tuesday, he was headed home early (he'd been recovering from his own bout with strep) and was on 9D when the rains, macrobursts and tornadoes hit. The winds flattened trees around him and literally ripped through other trees.

At least three fatalities were blamed on the winds, which brought trees down, right onto people in cars (see details in this Highlands Current article). Three tornadoes went through Connecticut, and at least four hit New York (including one in Newburgh) bringing winds between 75 and 100 mph, spanning paths of several miles (see a photo here from Central Hudson). Some of the worst damage was caused by macrobursts that ripped through Dutchess County and other counties. Macrobursts possess wind speeds of 100 mph or more, and travel in straight lines for miles, unlike tornadoes, which have rotating, swirling, damaging winds. Central Hudson also confirmed that 1,000 lightning strikes happened per hour: “Storm with winds up to 78 MPH + 1,000 lightning strikes per hour has interrupted service to more than 72,000 customers.” Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro declared a State of Emergency, and Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a State of Emergency and deployed 125 National Guard members to help with the storm's effects.

On Wednesday, Central Hudson stated that many workers were on duty to clear trees (from street scenes like these) and restore power: “Approximately 185 line workers together with nearly 180 tree personnel are clearing roads and restoring power in our service territory today. Additionally, more than 270 mutual aid line workers are anticipated to arrive throughout the day.” See Central Hudson's trucks here restoring power.

By Thursday, that number grew: “A field force more than 1,000 strong is at work today clearing roads, responding to emergencies and restoring electric service.” They noted: “Mutual aid crews from as far as Niagara Falls, Michigan and Vermont have arrived.”

The Stony Kill wagon, a reliable sight on route 9D promoting the Open Barn, was turned over. Amazing that it did not get torn to smithereens! The wagon has since been righted back up.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

In Wallkill, my assistant was working on a project with me via email, and the next minute she was MIA, as the wind had ripped open a tree in her yard, and it tore apart a newly completed shed at her neighbor's house.

Castle Point, which is located along the Hudson River just north of Beacon, is the home of many families as well as the VA Hudson Valley Health Care system. Macrobursts ripped through the area. My friend's wife works at the VA hospital, and he was waiting for her to come home, as it's a 10-minute drive. She did not get home for several hours, after being stuck in Castle Point as it dealt with trees and debris that had been tossed around by wind.

Beacon school teacher Brian Antalek, who lives in Castle Point, was quoted in the Poughkeepsie Journal as having to park his car at neighboring Stony Kill Foundation and walk two miles to his home in Castle Point. One man who I encountered at the grocery store told me about the huge oak tree in his yard that blew into the next yard. Shingles and pieces of housing landed in his yard, and he could only surmise that they were from Newburgh, as they didn't match anything nearby.

A map of a tornado path in Saugerties shows a tornado traveling across the Hudson River.
Photo Credit: National Weather Service via Hudson Valley Weather.

Newburgh received extensive damage, and is still recovering and still has areas without power. According to Eastern Dutchess Fire and Rescue: "Electrical substations which supplied power to the City of Newburgh sustained heavy damage requiring extensive repair. It is very possible that vast areas of the City may experience many days without electricity." Residents are boiling their water and those with gym memberships were using the facilities to shower. I got a call from a sales person living in Newburgh on Friday trying to set up a meeting, which she couldn't quite commit to, saying "I can't see anyone like this, I have to wait until the power comes back on."

Stony Kill Farm and Common Ground Farm in Fishkill suffered many trees down. A fire erupted on 9D near the farm (in the picture below with red bathroom barn). A transformer had exploded and caught fire on 9D. Stacey from Stony Kill Foundation reports that all of the farm's animals were unharmed and OK.

We had been to Stony Kill and Common Ground a week prior, on school field trips to see Common Ground Farm's pride and glory, the thriving tomatoes under the tarp greenhouses they built - which were destroyed by the winds.

An electrical fire blazing on 9D, in front of Stony Kill Farm. This view is of their bathroom facing 9D. The fire was not in any of Stony Kill's buildings and all of their farm animals are OK.
Photo Credit: Common Ground Farm

The greenhouse that protects the fledgling tomatoes at Common Ground Farm.
Photo Credit: Common Ground Farm

In Dutchess Junction, a tree fell on a power line. That caused an electrical fire for about 45 minutes until Central Hudson came and turned off the power, according to Maria Garcia Mojica, who submitted the picture below.

An electrical fire in Dutchess Junction.
Photo Credit: Maria Garcia Mojica 

The interior designer Ryan Samuelson experienced severe damage to his home on Washington Avenue in Beacon while he was in the basement. "I was just coincidentally down in the basement grabbing something. I didn’t even know about the storm warnings. Then I felt and heard a loud crunch and knew something pretty serious just happened."

Ryan Samuelson's home on Washington Avenue in Beacon.
Photo Credit: Ryan Samuelson

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

In Fishkill, Route 52 was brought to a standstill, contributing to the traffic blockade that delayed people for hours trying to get into or out of Beacon. The CVS pictured below is the one on Route 52 near Love Nails. These photos were submitted by Kathy Harrison.

Many construction projects are in progress here in Beacon. The most recent are those on 9D which cleared parcels of trees to prepare for the construction of new apartment buildings. One of two trees left on one property blew over (doesn't seem to be dead yet, however). Fencing blocking the other construction project blew away. A reproduction of the children's book, The Lorax, which is about preserving trees, had been posted on the fence in a statement about the removal of the trees. That portion of the fence remained through the wind blast. The fencing destroyed in the storm has since been replaced.

In Beacon, many trees came down. This yellow house on Verplanck is a known abandoned house, which is rumored to be lost in bank foreclosure paperwork. Just who will haul away this tree may not be straightforward.

Abandoned house on Verplanck.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

A tree blown down on Willow Street by the storm blocked this alternate backroads artery for two days after the storm. With 9D already limited by planned construction to finish NYSDOT ADA curb-cut ramps between Main Street and I-84, side streets like Willow, Orchard Place, Dutchess Terrace and others become back-road alternates. This made getting into or out of Beacon even more difficult. This tree below was cleared swiftly on Friday.

This Tree, down and blocking Willow Street, was Cleared away two days after the storm.
Photo Credit: Dana Devine O'Malley

The macrobursts took out bits and pieces of structures in their path, making some of the destruction seem random. A brick wall and bush were taken out at this house on Rombout Avenue.

A house on Rombout Avenue.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The small Fanny Fay Girl Scout House, at the end of Rombout Avenue, is surrounded by trees. We headed over to check out if any had fallen. This one did, but fell away from the house, further into the woods.

This Tree uprooted at the end of rombout avenue, at the Fanny Fay Girl Scout House.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Please note that most businesses in Beacon are now open! Several opened soon after the storm. Some parts of Main Street were without power, while others retained it. Main Street Beacon is back in business.

Statistics on a Few Tornadoes in New York

While the macrobursts, with winds of 100 mph and higher, caused major widespread damage, here are some statistics on the recorded tornadoes.

Ulster County
Saugerties, NY
Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Winds: 90 mph
Path Length: 5 miles
Path Width: 528 feet (0.1 mile)
Start Time: 2:29 pm
Location: The tornado path started along Route 212 between Woodstock and Saugerties and moved east through the western and southern part of Saugerties before crossing the Hudson River and ending in Tivoli, NY, just south of Clermont State Historic Site.

Orange County
Newburgh, NY
Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Winds: 75 mph
Path Length: 0.62 miles
Path Width: 50 yards
Start Time: 4:16 pm
Location: Originated near Albany Post Road, south of Bennett Road. The tornado lifted near the Hudson River behind Susan Drive.

Putnam County, NY Tornadoes
Kent, NY
Rating: EF2
Estimated Peak Winds: 115 mph
Path Length: 100 yards
Path Width: 1.14 miles
Start Time: 4:29 pm
Location: Originated near apartments on Route 52, continuing along Route 52 before lifting near Town Road

Patterson, NY
Rating: EF1
Estimated Peak Winds: 100 mph
Path Length: 75 yards
Path Width: 2.89 miles
Start Time: 4:32 pm
Location: Originated along Route 22 north of Haviland Hollow Road, lifting near the intersection of East Branch Road and Fairfield Drive.

What was your story during the storm? Please share it in the comments below.

Power Restoration Time from the City of Beacon

This just in from Anthony J. Ruggiero, MPA, Beacon's City Administrator:

"Please be aware that Global Restoration for the City is 10 pm tonight, and any remainders will be 2 pm on Friday. Global means the majority of the city. "

Beacon Shops Begin To Open After Major Storm and Power Outages

Beacon, you rock! Recognize these Open signs? Meyer's Olde Dutch and Artisan Wine Shop. Across the street from those two, Notions-N-Potions and Luxe Optique are welcoming customers too. More signs like this are popping up! Hard work continues to restore power and cable, and clear trees, etc. 🙏🏻 Thank you to everyone who continues to help bring us a safe community and modern conveniences! You are all beacons of light.

Kids Classes Guide Update: Beacon Recreation Building is Open and Useful!

As if inspired by the mantra of Thomas the Train and Friends, whose goal is to always be useful, the Beacon Parks and Recreation Department has posted the following message to their Facebook page. This has been updated in A Little Beacon Blog's Kids Classes Guide:

SPRING STORM UPDATE:

From the Beacon Parks and Recreation Department:

Wednesday, May 16: "We are open, with running water, three bathrooms, power, wi-fi... and coffee! Community hours until 2 pm. Need to charge your phone? Need to get out of the house? The Rec Center at 23 West Center Street has power, wi-fi and big blue blocks/playground for the kids. We'll be open until 2 pm"

Adults, we've got your backs too! Specialty classes are listed in A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide for both lifestyle, business and sports. So do check it out, and if you have a specialty class to submit to either Guide, you can do so on our Event Submission Page!

Main Street Closure Update After Sewer Collapse at Main Street and Tioronda Avenue

Main Street One-Lane Update from the City of Beacon

The City Administrator for the City of Beacon, Anthony J. Ruggiero, M.P.A., has issued this update:

There has been a sewer collapse at the intersection of Main Street and Tioronda Avenue. 

MAY 10: Starting Thursday, May 10, Main Street will be one lane of traffic from Tioronda Avenue (Howland Cultural Center) to Brothers Restaurant to allow the contractor to start the sewer bypass. 

MAY 14 - 16 (approx.): Starting on Monday, May 14, Main Street will be closed to through traffic from Schenck Avenue (Ella's Bellas) to East Main Street (Dummy Light) for approximately three days, until Wednesday, May 16.  The contractor will be working through the night to limit the disturbance on this section of Main Street. Parking in this area will be limited. 

Sidewalks will remain open.
 
Notices have been distributed to the business and property owners and appropriate signage will be placed.

Airbnb Paid Over $220K in Taxes to Dutchess County in 2017

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Airbnb listings, A Little Beacon Blog.

As the City of Beacon considers legislation for short-term rentals in residential houses, everyone involved is looking at their finances. During a public hearing for the legislation, homeowners who rent their homes out on a per-night, short-term basis, came out to speak in favor of continuing to allow short-term rentals in their homes. Many of the homeowners discussed financial implications they would face if Beacon legislated against short-term rentals or limited the amount of nightly rentals to 100 per year per house (the City Council has since scratched out that maximum from the draft legislation currently being discussed at City Council's Workshop meeting on 4/30/18), or imposing a New York State fire code law for Bed and Breakfasts that requires a sprinkler system or special windows installed in the home.

Other Areas of Economy Impacted by Airbnb

A Beacon resident and Airbnb user, Eileen O'Hare, shed light on another economic area that is impacted by Airbnb rentals, and that is the service industry. According to Eileen's presentation at the public hearing, Airbnb recommends for homeowners to pay for house cleaning and lawn care in order to attract good and consistent bookings. She then posed this question to the City Council at that meeting: "I pay my cleaning lady $25 per hour. What do you pay yours?"

Tax Revenue Going to Dutchess County Generated by Airbnb Bookings

People who make money from Airbnb bookings, like house cleaners, also attended the meeting to request that the short-term rentals be allowed to continue. This got us to thinking about the wider economic impact of short-term rentals on the area, and so we reached out to Dutchess County Legislator Nick Page to get some answers about any revenue generated by the Bed Tax. That tax, as well as sales tax, goes straight to Dutchess County and does not directly get paid to the City of Beacon. Here are some economic statistics derived from tax revenue raised for Dutchess County through Airbnb short-term bookings, according to Nick's understanding, from conversations with the Dutchess County Department of Finance:

• Airbnb paid a total of $221,918 of the 4% Bed Tax to Dutchess County for 2017. 

• Dutchess County began collecting the 4% Bed Tax from hosts using the Airbnb platform on March 1, 2017. 

• The payments to the county are not broken down by municipality (i.e. city, town, or village) and the county does not have access to the host addresses from Airbnb.

• Airbnb remits one payment to the county by the 20th of each month for the preceding month's activity.

• Dutchess County is about to begin tracking other short-term rental sites as well. Currently, Dutchess County only collects from Airbnb.

The discussion continues, as the City Council meets tonight to go over the latest changes to the draft legislation based on feedback from the community. On the public agenda for tonight, this topic is filed under "Short-Term Rentals" and is currently #4 out of 12 topics to discuss. Bring your coffee.

RELATED ARTICLES

HYDRANT FLUSHING STARTING IN BEACON APRIL 23, 2018: WATCH FOR BROWN WATER

From The Desk of the Mayor:

The City of Beacon Water Department will be flushing water mains throughout the City starting April 23 for a four-week period. The flushing will be conducted from 7 a.m. through 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Residents may experience periods of discolored water during this time and should refrain from doing laundry until the water runs clear. If your water is discolored, run the cold water taps until the water runs clear. If you have any questions call the Water Department at (845) 831-3136.

Week 1 – April 30

Alice Street
Anderson Street
Annan Street
Birch Lane
DePuyster Avenue
East Main Street
Exeter Circle
Helen Court
Green Street
Jackson Street
Linden Drive
Louisa Street
Mountain Lane
Overlook Avenue
Petticoat Lane
Phillips Street
Roundtree Court
Robin Lane
Spring Valley Street
Spruce Street
Summit Street
Westley Avenue
William Street
Wilson Street
Vail Avenue

Week 2 – May 7

Barrett Place
Deerfield Place
Delevan Avenue
Dutchess Terrace
Fishkill Avenue
Franklin Avenue
Kent Street
Lincoln Avenue
Mackin Avenue
Memorial Park
Route 9D near VanNess
Townsend Street
Verplanck Avenue

Week 3 – May 14

Beskin Place
Coffey Avenue
Ellen Drive
Grandview Avenue
High Goal Lane
John Street
Miller Street
Newlin Mills Road
Paye Street
Rombout Avenue
Simmons Lane
Slocum Road
Sycamore Drive
Wodenethe Drive
Van Dyke Avenue
Victor Road

Week 4 – May 21

Bayview Avenue
Belleford Lane
Branch Street
Dennings Avenue
Fishkill Landing
Long Dock Road
Monell Place
Riverfront Park
Tompkins Avenue
West Main Street

April 20th New Meaning: Day of Action Against Gun Violence

Usually 4/20 means one thing to people, but this year, April 20 has officially become A National Day of Action Against Gun Violence, in a somber nod to the anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre nineteen years ago. The City of Beacon joined with cities across the country to set aside the day as a reminder to "call upon the state and federal governments to enact stricter controls governing the sale, possession and distribution of firearms and other dangerous weapons," according to the legislation. A local group of citizens co-organized by Julie Shiroishi and James Case-Leal met at Memorial Park in Beacon with an agenda that included a Student Soapbox, letter-writing campaign, voter registration, and a rally.

Meanwhile, in Philipstown...

Elsewhere and earlier, Philipstown responded to the gun reform movement by ending an 18-month legislative debate about a gun storage law, voting unanimously, 5-0, to enact a Safe-Storage Gun Law, requiring gun owners to lock away their firearms "when they are not in the residence and they know or have reason to know that that children are or may be present in the residence," as stated in the language of the law (click here to read), as first reported by the Highlands Current.

According to the Highlands Current, citizens who attended the public hearings "nearly filled the Haldane school auditorium as proponents and opponents made impassioned arguments," with Board members receiving letters from all over the country. According to the Highlands Current article, in a response to one letter from Nebraska, stating that gun owners are burdened with the cost of purchasing a lock, Philipstown Town Board Member Nancy Montgomery brought a basketful of gun locks to the meeting, stating that they would be free to pick up at the Town Hall, and would be replenished when gone.

For the State of New York...

At the state level, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the passage of legislation to remove guns from domestic abusers and "prohibits anyone with an outstanding warrant for a felony or other serious offense from receiving or renewing a firearm License."

Says the Beacon Day of Action co-organizer, Julie, of the New York State legislation: "That's good news. Of course, it's great to tighten laws in NY, but it's really got to happen nationally to be meaningful."

Back at A Little Beacon Blog, we wrote a series of articles covering the events that happened locally after the shooting in Parkland, Florida:

• The School Shooting Issue Comes to The Hudson Valley
• Beacon Increases School Searches and Safety Measures via Robo-Calls
• City of Beacon to Vote on Joining National Day of Action on April 20 to Protect Students Against Gun Violence
• Beacon City Schools to Perform Security Audits with Altaris Consulting Group
• Toy Guns Sold in Kid Stores - What is the Impact on Gun Culture?
• Activities to Prepare for Gun Situations

Those interested in learning more can visit the National Day of Action or the Network for Public Education.

Update: 4/23/2018

The co-organizers put out this video highlighting the students who demonstrated as part of the Day of Action. Students came from Newburgh and Cold Spring as well, because, according to co-organizer James Case-Leal, they “had nowhere else to go."

Beacon Hosts Citizens' Preparedness Training at Fire Station #2 on April 17, 2018

Citizens' Preparedness Training
Day: Tuesday, April 17
Time: Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the training will begin at 7 pm. 
Location: Beacon's Fire Station #2, 13 South Avenue 

In light of the recent shooting events and the early morning fire at Rombout Avenue, parents are looking for ways to be more prepared in an emergency situation. The Dutchess Country Department of Emergency Response and Beacon Mayor Randy Casale are inviting all parents to the Citizens' Preparedness Training, Tuesday, April 17, at Beacon's Fire Station #2 located at 13 South Avenue.  Doors will open at 6:30 pm and the training will begin at 7 pm.

William H. (Bill) Beale, the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response, says: “Through our countywide community preparedness assessment, we discovered the need for citizens' preparedness training. As a result, we can fund it through federal training."

Starter Kit of FEMA Recommended Items

At this training, participants will get a Starter Kit that includes FEMA-recommended items. "This kit and the ability to add to it is very important," says Bill.

Flooding Preparedness Training

According to Bill, “We’re seeing more flooding than we’ve seen previously.” Flooding is the No. 1 natural hazard that affects Dutchess County. "If you’re in a low-lying area, be aware that it could happen. Many people live in rural parts of Dutchess County," further from life-saving first responders.

Sustained Power Outages Training

Attendees will be trained in what to do during sustained power outages. Days after we moved to Beacon from New York City several Januarys ago, Beacon experienced a severe blizzard where we lost power for three days. Being city-folk, we didn't know what do to. However, if that had to happen, I think I'd rather be out here in a small-town city than up high in an apartment building!

"During the last Nor’easters," Bill explains, "many people were without power for nine days. This program trains in how to be prepared for sustained power outages."

Other Types of Emergencies

Among the goals of the evening training session will be making people aware of what types of disasters can affect Duchess County in case they need to evacuate the area or shelter in place. Situations that will be covered include severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, public health emergencies, hazards materials (chemical and biological threats).  

Available each day to those who are really into being prepared is the Mountain Scout Survival School, with its headquarters on Main Street. Several classes are available through the Mountain Scout Survival School, including firemaking skills, knife-handling skills, winter skills, and other survival skills for living outdoors.

This training does not include what to do in active shooter situations. "Stop the Bleed does address that," says Bill, referencing the training program that is readily accessed through the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps, who can bring their Stop the Bleed training to you if you organize a group.

Overall, Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response has found that Community Preparedness is lacking in Dutchess County, and has ramped up efforts to find and secure funding. "We have trained almost 2,000 people so far and have conducted 30 presentations.”

Tuesday's event is free and open to the public. You can get more information by visiting www.dutchessny.gov or calling (845) 486-2080.

Spirit of Beacon Day - New Website!

Earlier this year, we wrote about the new leadership setup for Spirit of Beacon Day for 2018. We just got word that they now have an official website - visit www.spiritofbeacon.org - or you can follow them on Facebook - Spirit of Beacon Day 2018. Beacon residents now have more options and ways to reach out to the organizers to get involved and stay updated with this year's event, set for the last Sunday in September.  

City Council Holds Special Meeting on March 14th to Hear Updates on Water Supply

You may not have known this, with all of the scaffolding around newly demolished buildings, but Beacon has been under a six-month building moratorium, whereby the city is not granting permission to build new projects. Special exemptions exist, such as if a residential application was being proposed that used less than 330 gallons of water per day, or a non-residential application resulting in more than 2,000 gallons of water per day (both as determined by the city engineer), but for the most part, everything new has been halted. However, everything that already was proposed and approved before July 25 before remains in full swing.

But what does water have to do with anything? Why does water come into play with these building exemptions? Because the City of Beacon felt that although it had encouraged residential and commercial development over the years, and that dream did come true, perhaps it was a bit too soon. The water supply was estimated to accommodate 17,800 people. As part of new residential projects recently approved to develop Beacon, 1,027 new units are on their way. According to the moratorium legislation passed on September 19, 2017,  however, the current population is reaching that limit quicker than expected, thus creating a hunt for more water. "The City is concerned that such a large number of housing in such a short time will stress the City's water supply," reads the approved legislation document forwarded to us by City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero. "The City's vision was that development would be more gradual and take place over a period of years. The accelerated development of housing within the City will lead to greatly increased consumption of services and resources."

The Water Supply Plan, Presented on March 14, 2018

In the past, the City hired Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc (LBG) to look into the development of a new well on the existing Water Treatment Plant property, the location of which was found to be unsuitable for potable water because the location did not have enough water to yield. Therefore, evaluations continue regarding the system's existing capacity and potential for future needs. A review of the capacity of the existing sources (groundwater and surface water) will continue, and they'll review how water has been collected in the past, up until today. "The water system evaluation will include a review of available 'finished' water storage capacity, and a review of existing water treatment methods and capacity."

That presentation of findings is being delivered tonight, Wednesday, March 14, at 7 pm, by LG Hydrogeologic Engineering Services, PC at 1 Municipal Plaza, Beacon, NY. The meeting is open to the public to listen, but not participate.

Moving On, But First...A RoundUp of the Gun Violence Issue at the Community Level

The past two weeks have been paralyzing for a lot of people, especially parents of young kids currently in school. As the region was gripped by threats made last week all over the Hudson Valley, last Friday's Snow Day was actually kind of welcome. Parents received several robo-calls - which normally announce dreaded Snow Day closures. Instead, these were about threats made to the middle school and the high school, and how police would be stationed there. A Little Beacon Blog took time to process what has been going on around the Hudson Valley and open up coverage on it, so that we can produce future articles to help people be aware and prepared. The below links are articles to create awareness of the leadership that has been happening in the Beacon City School District, Beacon Police Department, and some cultural questions about these issues.

• The School Shooting Issue Comes to The Hudson Valley
  Striking observation from investigative reporter Nina Schutzman on the amount of shooting-related articles/arrests/threats/closures coming out in one day.
• Beacon Increases School Searches and Safety Measures via Robo-Calls
  Beacon Superintendent Dr. Matthew Landahl leads the charge in informing parents about issues as they happen.
• City of Beacon to Vote on Joining National Day of Action on April 20 to Protect Students Against Gun Violence
  Update: They voted Yes.
• Beacon City Schools to Perform Security Audits with Altaris Consulting Group
• Toy Guns and No Big Deal Guns Sold in Kid Stores - Impact on Gun Culture
  Echo Boutique's Karen Donohue weighs in on her choice not to sell toy guns in her story, and other kid issues explored.
• Activities to Prepare for Scary Situations (aka Gun Situations)
  Beacon's City Administrator, Police Chief, and Fire Chief provide resources.

Consider this our Action Item in advance of the National Day of Action on Saturday, April 20.

PS: Finally, this mini-series of articles is done (hopefully!) and we are moving on, resuming our usual coverage of the goings-on in Beacon! Not only that, but it's sunny out! Hurray! Yet all signs point to a Wednesday Snow Day. <angry-face emoji> Sleds may still be available at Mountain Tops, where the superhero owners continue to show up every Snow Day with an Open sign.

Activities to Prepare for Scary Situations (aka Gun Situations)

This is (hopefully) the last in our series on gun shootings, because writing about this is no fun, but has been unavoidable after the last two weeks. The first response to the tragic events was feeling helpless. Questions like this ring loud when bad things happen: "What can I do? What are my kids doing? What are my kids trained to do? Are they being trained on the right things in Lock Down Drills? What am I trained to do? I don't even know how a gun works, and I'm fine with that, but what if I needed to use one?"

So many questions. I reached out to Beacon's new police chief, Kevin Junjulas, to ask if any community training workshops of any kind would be coming up. He responded right away with a flyer (pictured below) that came across his desk from Hudson Valley Safety Associates, LLC. The company is hosting a free Active Shooter training workshop on Thursday, March 15, in Brewster, NY. Beacon's city administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, responded that our city is planning on something in April.

Anthony also responded with links he has used to make a plan with his family:
• How to prepare a family plan for emergencies, from the Red Cross
• The federal government's tips for making - and practicing - a family emergency plan, from Ready.gov

And with the recent uptick in house fires, Beacon Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis also recommended making a fire safety plan: Get together with your family and sketch out all of your home's windows and doors that could be used as escape routes, and then repeatedly practice getting out in a hurry. He really means business, too: He offered to come over to help us with forming our plan. #thatwasawesome

Toy Guns and "No Big Deal" Guns Sold in Kid Stores - Impact on Gun Culture

Blended screenshots of sales pages at Walmart's website, where this pink BB gun could have been sold to any prospective buyer, regardless of age (the age limit tool was broken). Walmart has since reversed its online sales policy, and now prohibits purchases of airsoft guns and toys.
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog

Growing up, you probably played Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, or countless other kid games with guns. Your finger probably became a gun. Pew-pew! Your sister's magic wand probably became a gun. Heck, maybe a magic wand counts as a gun, when it hits someone with glitter.

Guns in our culture are as commonplace as staplers, or pens. You could even buy a bullet pen! I did for my dad last Christmas. I grew up making shotgun shells with him in our basement. He had the neatest shotgun shell-making thingy that clamped to the edge of the table. Toy guns for kids are sold in toy stores, in drug stores, and on any toy store website. How could you not want a Luke Skywalker laser gun? Or a Nerf gun blaster? And with YouTube videos featuring dads and their sons in all-out Nerf gun wars around the house, shooting people becomes very normal. 

Toy Guns In Beacon

Echo Beacon, open for more than 10 years and one of Beacon's most popular toy stores, doesn't carry toy guns. Owner Karen Donohue is a mother of a daughter, and made the decision years ago not to sell toy guns in her toy store. "I chose not to sell toy guns, as it just made me uncomfortable. I've been told by mothers of boys that they [the boys] will find any sort of stick or anything, and turn it into a gun despite Mom's efforts to say 'No,'" Karen recalls.

Echo is known for carrying educational toys, and Karen is big on nurturing the imagination. "I still feel this is a better use of the imagination than something that truly resembles a gun. I have, on occasion over the years, sold miniature squirt pistols, but nothing that could ever be remotely mistaken for a gun. In recent years I've been tempted to order them again, but they still give me pause."

Fatal Mistakes

Back in 2014, a 12 year old boy named Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a rookie police officer while he was playing near a gazebo at a recreation center in Cleveland, OH. The boy was holding a pellet gun and a person called 911 to report that a person who was "probably" a child was holding a gun that was "probably fake," according to this Washington Post article. The officer was not told about the "probably" parts, and approached the child, and shot. The child died in the snow. The officer was not fired at the time, but in May of 2017, was fired for not including details about past employment when he was first hired months before the shooting, according to that Washing Post article.

Walmart Pulls Airsoft BB Guns From Website

Gun culture makes getting guns easy and a normalized part of life. When I published this article after the Parkland, Florida tragedy, I included a screenshot of Walmart's website to show how easy it was to purchase a rifle online. A reader commented that the rifle shown in the example was a BB gun, and not, I suppose, an assault weapon. The implication, it seemed, was that buying a BB gun was no big deal. Not wanting to exacerbate the debate, I removed the picture to keep the focus on finding a solution. In that time, however, Walmart announced that it was pulling rifles like BB guns from their website (see the NPR report "Walmart Joins Dick's Sporting Goods In Tighter Limits On Gun Sales"). And in an instant, the page I had just visited to buy the pink rifle BB gun had vanished.

From the NPR Article:
Walmart is also removing items from its website "resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys" — like the air gun Tamir Rice was playing with when he was shot by a Cleveland police officer who thought the 12-year-old was armed.

Companies aren't wanting to be associated with gun accidents or planned tragedies. So they are backing away and minimizing their liability. Any connection with tragedies is bad for business; the gun shop owner who sold the Parkland shooter one of his weapons felt compelled to hire a PR company to help issue statements. The issue of gun control has taken on a new dimension as companies get involved by limiting - or even ending altogether - their involvement.

The Mindset of Guns as Toys, Tools, and the Norm

A page from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, where a swim meet starts with a pistol blast, scaring the Wimpy Kid.

With guns being so prevalent in everyday lives, is it time to look at them differently? Would fresh perspective curb the ease with which they are used as a solution to a social problem? To a troubled, heartbroken, misunderstood teenager?

The picture above is taken from a page in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. In the book, the Wimpy Kid is forced to join a swim team. The first thing that scares him is the pistol shot to start the meet. He thinks it is a real gun, and hides under the water.

Why is a pistol used to start a swim meet? Could a whistle be used?

Why are toy pistols sold in a toy store? When a toy pistol is placed at 5-year-olds' eye level, where it hangs right next to something neutral like a slime-making kit or glow-in-the-dark bouncy ball, it conditions young minds that guns are toys.

The Not Discussed, Uncomfortable Notion of Gun Safety and Preparedness

If we consider CPR courses, Defensive Driving courses, and Fire Safety workshops to be normal and accepted practice, could Gun Safety training courses also become normal? To train prospective users that guns are really not toys, should be taken seriously, and how to use a gun in dangerous or threatening situations?

I asked Beacon's City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, if there had been any Active Shooter Training Workshops in Beacon. He responded that there have been in the past, when Beacon sponsored the County Citizens Preparedness Training courses, but he added that the sessions were not very well attended. He says another will be hosted in April.

Perhaps the mindset will shift, to one away from being a sitting duck, and one toward mental defense (think Bourne Identity...where are the exits? how to fight back? what everyday objects can become lifesaving tools?), planning, and rooting out the mindset of guns as toys.