by Michael Daecher
It wouldn’t be a year end issue without an end of the year list, and this year is no exception. 2005 was a busy year in Beacon: we saw the dilapidated New York Rubber factory burn to the ground, we broke ground on the new Wee Play Children’s Park, and we enjoyed the first Spirit of Beacon photography show. Below you’ll find—in no particular order—some of the stories we heard people talking about the most, whether we were getting a hot dog at Beacon Lunch or buying nails at Nichol’s Hardware. Think we’re missing something? Tell us what you think!
1. Howland Library Vote
Opinion was sharply divided in Beacon (heck, we couldn’t even decide on one position for our editorial) over the new design for the Howland Library, but the people of Beacon decided by a 3 to 1 margin that this version was too much, too fast. Some say it can be done better, for less money. Let’s hope that’s the case, and this issue doesn’t lose steam. Beacon needs a new library. Anyone who stood in line for hours in the current library to cast their vote in the sweltering heat would attest to that.
2. Taxes
It’s the issue that never fails to bring out the vote here in town (see the failed Howland Library measure above.) There’s confusion over how the 2006 reassessment will affect taxes, mismanagement in the Beacon School District has helped raise school taxes more than 20% in a year, and the rising cost of natural gas and fuel oil is going to make this an expensive winter. It’s no wonder people are concerned about how much they’ll be asked to pay for any new improvements.
3. Democrats Sweep Council
No one expected such a margin of victory for the Democrats at the local level here in Beacon. Maybe the Republicans stayed at home, or more of the new Democrats moving into the city came out and voted. Will a one-party City Council result in more effective government or fall apart over personal politics? Either way, the Republicans can no longer be blamed for inaction.
4. Federal Investigation of the Beacon Police Department
There’s an old saying, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” Here’s hoping the ongoing Justice Department investigation results in serious and permanent improvements to the outdated practices and ineffective management of the Beacon Police Department.
5. Re-Launch of the Newburgh / Beacon Ferry
Many thought it would never happen, but the Newburgh/Beacon ferry returned on October 17, making runs during morning and evening rush hours for the first time in decades. Initial reaction from commuters was mixed, but the free parking in Newburgh and shorter commute times are making believers out of skeptics.
6. Transformation of theWest End of Main Street
This was the year the West End of Main Street came into its own. With some pressure from the City Council, property owner Ron Piccone finally converted his first floor apartments to store fronts, new restaurants and businesses are opening every day, and some business owners are even moving their stores up the street to take advantage of the heavier foot traffic from Dia:Beacon.
7. Rombout Capital Project
It’s a good thing that the people of Beacon know a good idea when they see it—even if higher taxes are a major concern. The additions to the Rombout Middle School and complete renovation of the athletic field and track off of Verplanck Ave, approved by Beacon voters, have finally given us something to be proud of when visiting schools come to Beacon for football games or track and field events.
8. Beacon Hat Parade /Closing of Beacon’s Last Hat Factory
The May soiree was the first of its kind here in Beacon, with hundreds of people donning vintage hats or headgear of their own creation in a march down Main Street. The Grand Marshall of the parade, Sal Cumella, owned the last hat factory in Beacon, until he decided to close the business and retire in mid-summer. Let’s hope that doesn’t stop the good people who organized this parade from making this an annual event.
9. Vandalism
Knee-jerk reaction to progress or random violence? You decide. Vandals have wreaked havoc on the newly installed stairs up Mt. Beacon and smashed windows of Main Street businesses. The only thing sadder than the acts themselves are the cowards who won’t take responsibility for their actions. Here’s an idea: show up at city council meetings and make your voice heard if you’re not happy with how things are going, rather than trashing someone else’s hard work.
10. Re-vitalized Master Plan
With a new Democratic City Council it should be interesting to see what happens with the Master Plan effort. With developers threatening one of the last open spaces in Beacon at Hiddenbrooke, it’s time local government was proactive about planning for the future of the city.
11. Flooded Sewer Pipes
Anyone who took a walk down to Madame Brett park this past Spring would have noticed the stench of raw sewage, which was bursting from manhole covers after some big rain storms. Many area residents also had their basements flooded with the smelly stuff. The city is working on fixing the problem, but it’s going to take years to replace the aging and dilapidated sewage and drainage pipes for the entire city.
12. Renovation of 9D / Beacon Train Station
Another sign that things are changing for the better, the third world road that greeted people driving into the south and of Beacon has finally been re-paved. Now it’s only a matter of time before the sewer lines are replaced (see #10) and the entire road is re-paved from the city line to Tioronda Bridge.
The Beacon train station has also seen its share of upheaval in 2005, after the MTA started the work to renovate the entire station and build new roads into the station and increase parking capacity. With a completetiong date set for the Spring 2006, the work has made an even bigger mess of the evening commute. Add to that the very real possibility of someone getting run over crossing the street to catch the ferry, and you have growing pains with a capital ‘GP’.
Rather than focus solely on the positive aspects of West End development, the "reporter" found it necessary to single out Ron Piccone and imply that he somehow was responsible for holding back progress in the transformation of the West End.
Ron Piccone and his family invested in Beacon when most chose to avoid it. They invested and located their offices in the West End when most of his detractors and fellow West End property owners invested, lived and worked elsewhere. People thought them crazy for working in such a rough neighborhood. He turned burned out properties that were buried in trash into homes.
Many take credit for this town's prosperity (often undeserved) but few can say they invested in bad times and good. The Piccone family made investments and took chances when Beacon was poor and NOBODY cared. You may not be happy about when and how they executed their business plan in recent years, but if not for them there may not have been a West End to transform.
We should applaud their contributions, not single them out as the bad guys.
Posted by: Dan McElduff | December 08, 2005 at 12:30 AM