County Program Provides Nearly $1.2 Million to Help Improve Local Communities
Molinaro pleased to partner with localities to enhance quality of life

Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro announced grants totaling nearly $1.2 million will be awarded through Dutchess County’s 2012 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program to fund an array of local projects throughout Dutchess County.

“This funding can make a big difference in the quality of life for any of our communities.   We are very pleased to partner with our local municipalities to make these critical infrastructure improvements and handicapped accessibility projects possible,” said County Executive Molinaro “Many of these projects enhance the quality of life for residents by making our communities more inclusive and accessible, and we are happy to support those efforts.”

Dutchess County secured $1,189,571 in CDBG monies to assist municipalities with projects to benefit low-to-moderate income county residents.    Projects slated to receive funding include:

Infrastructure projects

• Town of Poughkeepsie: $46,000 to replace sidewalk and add lighting and landscaping on Main Street and Raymond Avenue in the Arlington Town Center, promoting pedestrian walkability.
• Village of Tivoli: $100,000 to replace sidewalks in five locations throughout the Village including the main sidewalk area in the business district on Broadway.
• City of Beacon: $142,749 for various infrastructure improvement projects in the City’s Capital Plan including road reconstruction, sidewalks improvement and drainage projects.

Handicapped Accessibility Projects

• Town of Pleasant Valley:  $100,000 for the creation of a new handicapped accessible playground at Bower Park on North Avenue.
• Town of Rhinebeck: $100,000 to establish a handicapped accessible restroom and food concession facilities at the Thomas Thompson-Sally Mazzarrella Park.
• Town of Union Vale: $35,200 to install handicapped accessible playground equipment and picnic areas at Tymor Park.    
• Town of Wappinger:  $100,000 to complete improvements to the newly constructed Little League Challenger Field, a handicapped accessible baseball field specifically devoted to handicapped youth ages 5-18 years old in the Challenger Program, at the town’s Robinson Lane Recreation Park.    Improvements to include outfield surfacing, dugouts, handicap parking and protective fencing.
• Village of Fishkill: $100,000 to design and construct handicapped accessible restrooms and an office/public meeting room in the Village’s Van Wyck Hall. Funds will also be used to repair the existing deteriorating handicapped access ramp.
• Village of Pawling: $100,000 to design and construct freestanding handicap accessible bathrooms in the Village Green adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce building near the center of the Village.

Village of Pawling Mayor Robert Liffland said, “Handicapped accessible restroom facilities are an integral part of our Village Green and Veterans Memorial Park project.  These projects invite people to come to Pawling, to open businesses, and to do their shopping. We are working hard on the economic development of this village and maintain a high quality of life for residents of the Village of Pawling.   We are grateful to County Executive Molinaro and Dutchess County Government for their continued assistance and partnership making these projects a reality.”

Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Robert Rolison added, “The Community Development Block Grant program enables important projects that really make a difference in our residents’ lives to become a reality.    The Dutchess County Legislature is proud to support these projects and improve our communities.”

CDBG funding is administered by the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides funds to municipalities and human service agencies to benefit low-to-moderate income residents of Dutchess County.