Open space plan gets green light
By: Jeremy Schwartz Voice Ledger April 15 , 2005

Beekman took a step toward preserving its natural and historic character with the adoption of the open-space plan on Monday night.
The town board voted passed the plan by a 4-0 vote. Councilman Tom Kinsley was away on business. The plan, which was more than a year in the making, garnered the support of the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development.
"We are very pleased to see that the town is proposing to actively seek and manage its open spaces, farmland and trails," wrote planner Jennifer F. Cocozza in a letter to the town board.
The department encouraged the town to set up a fund to help implement the goals of the plan.
"The ability of the town to purchase development rights and/or negotiate easements in a planned approach may help preserve some of these locally important lands when surrounding owners do not have the funds to do so themselves," wrote Cocozza.
Of the approximately 19,000 acres of land in town, roughly 2,600 are currently protected. A long-term goal of the plan aims to protect an additional 2,500 acres.
The plan targets four main goals for conservation. These include promoting agricultural development, protecting water resources, preserving scenic hillsides and forested ridges and linking neighborhoods and gathering places via walking trails.
In addition to the long-term goal, the plan puts forth several short-term aims. One of these is the conservation of at least one farm of between 100 and 500 acres.
In other business, the board authorized Supervisor John Adams to hire independent contractors to run the senior citizen programs at the Beekman Community Center.
The seniors program is now being administered by the recreation department, following the termination of a contract between the town and the Dutchess County Association of Senior Citizens (DCASC).
The center is planning to offer programs to seniors two days per week, a 50% increase. The town hired Susan Gartner, a popular former employee of the DCASC, as director of senior citizen programs.
The senior program offers exercise and arts and crafts activities, as well as field trips.

©The Voice Ledger 2005

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