Beacon Dispatch

Hat Parade a Hit

Saturday's Hat Parade brought out quite a crowd and hats ranging from basic baseball caps to the absolutely outrageous.

Look here for more photos.

Hat parade today at 11:30

Be sure to check out the Hat Parade today at 11:30. The parade starts at the west end of Main Street and continues down through the east end. You can see some photos of last year's parade here.

If it rains, the parade will happen tomorrow at 1. See the BACA site for more details of the day's festivities...

Special School Board Meeting Set for Tonight

The Beacon School Board has a special public meeting planned for 8:30 this evening at the High School. Up for discussion are whether or not cuts should be made to the budget and what, if any, services should be eliminated in the 2006-7 school year and whether or not the budget should be put to a second vote sometime in June.

To put this into some kind of perspective, as of this year with a budget that passed last May, the district elementary schools had to make cutbacks and share several teachers between schools. Phys Ed., Instrumental, and Choral Music teachers have spent the year rotating between all the elementary schools. During the last school year these same teachers were working full-time at one district school, giving students more comprehensive Phys Ed. and Music educations.

Debate over school taxes

Over at the Beacon, NY discussion board, folks are discussing today's editorial in the Poughkeepsie Journal about the shellacking (sp?) school budgets took in yesterday's elections. According to PoJo, Dutchess County had the highest rate of rejection in the state. Here's a snippet of one comment:

"School spending is increasing close to 10% in this years budget but yet none of that is going into new programs for students. The new spending is almost exclusively needed to pay for the increased cost of benefits and pensions for teachers. The Journal is correct in that local school boards need to negotiate contracts that will increase the amount that teachers are asked to contribute for the cost of their benefits. They are also correct in that the Pension system needs reform and action needs to be taken in Albany to bring that about. Teachers need to be asked to contribute more across the board for the cost of their pensions and benefits. As stated in the editorial this morning those of us who work in the private sector are already contributing heavily to support our benefits and pensions and certainly at a level that far exceeds the level of contribution by teachers. The union leadership and in particular NYSUT does not want to hear this and will turn a deaf ear to this argument but they have to face the reality of the times. Taxpayers can no longer afford the luxury of generous benefit and pension packages for teachers."

School Budget Sent Packing

Howland Library's Budget Voted Down as Well

Yesterday's school budget was defeated by a 13% margin (1399 No votes to 1077 Yes votes). Beacon residents also voted down the district's appropriation of funds for new buses.

The Howland Public Library, which was asking for a reasonably small 3.5% increase over last year's budget, was voted down by a 25% margin. (1521 No votes to 921 Yes votes.)

All running school and library board members were voted into office as there were only enough candidates running to fill the empty seats.

Percentages have been rounded.

The "Actor-vist" Gets An Obie

Edwin Lee Gibson Recieves Award for his Role in The Seven

Take a look at the cover of the latest Village Voice and what you'll see is the visage of Beacon's own Edwin Lee Gibson. Gibson, who we featured as a Beacon Voice a few months ago, received a great review in the NY Times and has how received an Obie for his performance in Will Power's The Seven. The Obies are awards that honor performances in Off-Broadway productions.

Congratulations Edwin! You've done us proud.

Read the VV article and see Edwin receiving the award here.

Video of East Main Street demolition

Found on YouTube.com...

Is Spitzer playing politics with the Beacon Institute?

Dan Shapley has an interesting piece in today's Poughkeepsie Journal about the Beacon Institute. When asked about state support for the Beacon Institute (formerly known as the Rivers & Estuaries Center), a spokesperson for Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer said:

"Attorney General Spitzer has been a strong advocate for cleaning up the Hudson River and will be evaluating the various tools that the state can use to ensure a cleaner, more vibrant river for the future. Many existing organizations are currently doing essential research on the Hudson River and we will evaluate whether or not money should be appropriated to the Beacon Institute as we would with any other state spending. The key thing is that there be accountability and transparency if state dollars are being used."

Not exactly a strong endorsement. Could this mean an end to eight years of state support Beacon has enjoyed under George Pataki? Will the Democrat, Spitzer, see the Beacon Institute as political pork in a traditionally Republican county?

Court Dismisses Sassi, Jr. Defamation Claim

But states that COB nepotism law is invalid for civil service positions and may be invalid in other instances as well

The Federal Court for the Southern District of New York has dismissed Richard Sassi, Jr.'s defamation claim stating that, in the context of the complaint, the claim had no merit. At the same time Judge Brieant stated that the City's nepotism law was invalid with regard to civil service positions and that the law may be invalid in other instances as well.

Richard Sassi, Jr's suit alleged that Councilman Kyriacou conspired with the Mayor, City Administrator, and all members of the City Council to terminate his father's employment with the City and, failing in that effort, created a new nepotism law in order to, "...retaliate against the Plaintiff by prohibiting his promotion within the Police Department so long as his father remained the Chief of Police." The suit also stated that the sole target of the new nepotism law was Richard Sassi, Jr., and that, on various occasions, Councilman Kyriacou attempted to defame Sassi, Jr. with the intent of harming his police career.

The judge ruled that, while the nepotism law was invalid, the Council, with regard to statements made about Sassi, Jr., was, "...acting within its legislative function...," and that Sassi, Jr. is not entitled to any monetary compensation from any of the council members, the Mayor, administrator, or the City as a result of their actions. But the judge’s ruling does state that Sassi Jr.’s claims are still valid with regard to the nepotism law itself, which may, at some future point, require the nepotism law to be rescinded.

Court's ruling available here.

Thanks to TDH for untangling the legalese.

People Powered Plowing

This past Saturday the Stony Kill Foundation and the Hudson Valley Draft Horse Association sponsored a day of farming to remind us what life was like before there were tractors. It was quite a spectacle -- I never knew mules were so huge. And apparently not so bright -- but I guess you don't have to be to pull a plow in a straight line. Check out this photo gallery for some shots of the day.