Beacon Dispatch

Letter to the Editor: New Library Should Not Be Approved

Editor's Note: Below is the latest in an exchange between concerned citizen John Steele and Pat Hasapis of the Howland Library regarding the costs of the new library in Beacon. You can read Mr. Steele's original letter here, as well as Ms Hasapis' response here. These letters do not necessarily represent the views of the Beacon Dispatch.

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Editors,

I read with interest the letter from Ms. Pat Hasapis—a Trustee of the Howland Library in Beacon. The $9.2 million price tag that she mentions is only what the library board will bond and does not include the cost for the purchase and improvement to the parking area. The deal calls for City of Beacon to agree to take on that portion of the project. If the City agrees they will issue the bonds to purchase the property and improve the proposed parking area. Either way the taxpayers will absorb the cost and the total is much closer to $11 million not the 9.2 million that Ms. Hasapis mentions. The trustees’ cost estimates are deceptive. Her statement that there may be a considerable grant is contrary to what we were told in Oct. of last year at Beacon High   School. At that time Ms. Keaton, the director, told us that not much money was available for library grants. How then have other area libraries succeeded where Howland has failed? If, as the trustees claim, there are now grants in the works they should be disclosed to the public. The board should also describe in detail the "aggressive fund raising efforts" which she refers to. The board should be willing to commit to the public that any monies from grants or fund raisers will be dedicated to lowering the total tax burden and not enhance the project as was stated in the April 2005 handout. Taxpayers are reminded that if the bond is approved at referendum that they will be responsible for the entire cost and all incentive for the library board to seek grants or pursue fund raisers is lost. Her belief that this is a good deal for BCSD taxpayers is not shared by many in the district. This will be a bad deal for taxpayers and the construction costs are only the beginning. Cost for increased staffing and maintenance will force increases in the operating budget pushing taxes still higher.

Editorial: Beauty, History, and a Master Plan to Save Them

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. —John Muir, Naturalist

It’s not often that a community gets the opportunity to save something uniquely beautiful and historically significant. Presently the City of Beacon and its residents have both.

The 123 acre Hiddenbrooke property, which lies nestled at the base of Mount Beacon and runs along DePuyster Avenue, remains the last piece of truly open space within the City of Beacon. Through the efforts of individuals and groups such as the Friends of Hiddenbrooke, the Mayor and the City Council have been encouraged to consider the value of this property as open, publicly accessible space and the benefit the city and its citizens would derive from it. It’s time now for the City to move beyond mere consideration and take whatever steps are necessary to keep this space open, undeveloped, and accessible to everyone, forever.

The 133-year-old Tioronda Bridge has recently been earmarked for destruction and replacement with a new bridge capable of handling modern vehicular traffic. This structure, which is listed on the National Historical Register, is one of two remaining “bowstring” truss bridges in the nation. Engineers working for the City have stated that the structure is beyond repair and that it cannot be restored for vehicular use.

While its historical significance alone should be enough to halt the destruction of this bridge, the bigger question that its replacement raises is why it’s necessary to provide an alternative route across Fishkill Creek, especially one that will potentially divert traffic from 9D through residential neighborhoods. At present the City has three crossings within a one-mile radius of each other. Why is a fourth necessary, especially in this particular area? The City should instead encourage the restoration of this bridge for pedestrian and bicycle use, and plan for better traffic flow along Route 9D.

Both of these issues underscore the City’s increasing need to update its aging master plan. Doing so will help to identify and protect historically significant structures as well as provide guidelines for development. It will also allow for growth without burdening the City’s aging infrastructure or forever destroying its irreplaceable open space and historical assets.

Bannerman Island: Bringing the Castle Back to Life

by Gina Masullo

It’s a typically hot summer day as I buzz along the Hudson River with Bannerman Island in full view. Normally I’d be zipping past that looming, arsenal-topped island 1000 yards off the Beacon shoreline on Metro-North, but today I’m braving the heat in a life jacket sitting on a bulky pontoon boat headed straight toward the island. My guide for the day is Neil Caplan, president and founder of the Bannerman Castle Trust, self-taught expert on the area’s history, and all-around Bannerman enthusiast.

My sister, a long-time resident of Newburgh, is also along for the ride, and she’s appropriately spooked by centuries-old ghost stories, excited for the opportunity to see the island up close, and maybe a little disappointed that this mysterious place will finally have a story.

Beacon Voices: Mark & Pam Seegler

Co-founders, Kid’s Place 

by Michael Daecher

As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a family. And if the measure of a healthy community is how much responsibility people take in caring for each other’s children, Beacon seems to be doing just fine. Mark and Pam Seegler had been working with children for years in Brooklyn. When they heard from other working parents how hard it was to find good after school childcare in Beacon, it seemed like a logical next step to start a new daycare center here in town.

Some friends told me about Kid’s Place and their commitment to providing affordable childcare to working families, and I thought it would be interesting to know more about the people who started it. I spoke to Mark & Pam after work at their home in Beacon, as their kids, Mark (4 ½) and Kayla Rose (2 ½) were getting ready for bed.  

Where did you two meet?

Pam: Park Slope, Brooklyn. We actually grew up about 9 blocks from each other. The funny thing is, the community we grew up in Brooklyn went through some of the same changes that Beacon is going through now. Artists were coming in, and the community was changing. It’s interesting to be going through it for a second time – this time as adults.

Howland Library – A Long Journey Towards a New Building Nears Its End

September 13th Library vote promises to spur debate

by Jack Sine

It’s funny,” said Anne Forman, vice president of Howland Public Library, “there’s always a controversy where the library and money are concerned. Take our latest budget. It was the same as last year’s – zero percent increase – and yet it was voted down by a handful of votes. That meant we had to go back to last year’s budget, which was what we were voting on in the first place. I think it’s a combination of two things. First, our patrons who would vote for improvements assume that it will automatically pass and don’t vote. Second, the people who vote against the library don’t understand that we’re about a lot more than books. We’re a huge asset to this community.”

Dazzling: Beacon Youth Light the Way

by Katherine M. Tallon

“Sharing stories and sharing conversation are ways that we communicate,” says Ginny Figlia, Youth Services Librarian at the Howland Public Library. “In my own work, the challenge to communicate with all ages, from babies, children and teens to parents to grandparents, opened my eyes to how crucial communication is in one's community.”  

“The latest focus in child development is the practice of one-to-one communication and speaking publicly.” When talking, singing, listening and reading to a baby or a child you are teaching very important skills in early literacy,” advises Ginny. Our youngest patrons have three programs to promote early literacy designed especially for them on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:30a.m. -11: 15 a.m., the Howland Public Library hosts The Baby and Me Lap-Sit Program, Toddler Tales, and Pre-K Story Time respectively. Ginny is the program facilitator on these mornings. The Baby and Me Lap-Sit Program models how to share rhymes, lap-games, simple books and songs followed by a playtime. Toddler Tales introduces 2-3 year olds to the library through books, songs, finger plays and simple crafts. Pre-K Story Time includes stories, songs, games crafts and other theme-related activities. An adult must accompany participants. Each program is free of charge and no registration is required. Siblings are welcome!