Ginny thinks,  NOW or SOON after the first of the year, it is time to WRITE the County Executive in regard to placing the early poorhouse buildings on the State and National Registers (as mentioned in a recent Poughkeepsie Journal Article) in order to take advantage of AVAILABLE Gov't. Funds to Rehabilitate them for other uses.  If such is not done it would be like throwing money out the window - or shall we say "looking a gift horse in the mouth".

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Bear in Mind this mindset as portrayed by Michael Murphy, Commissioner of Public Works in a recent Poughkeepsie Journal Article Dec. 13, 2004 - He is APPOINTED BY, and thereby has an ALLEGIANCE TO, the County Executive, therefore one can safely assume that perhaps what he says may not be what he feels/his mindset but rather the words/mindset of our County Executive -

*****"The county has no plans to nominate any of the buildings for listing on the state or national register, Murphy said. But officials will consider nominating portions of the site, including a cemetery where poorhouse residents were buried, as construction plans are developed, he said."******

[GOOD News for the Cemetery - BAD News for the Historical Early Poorhouse Structures - Wouldn't it be nice to have both?]
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The distinct possibility of spending money to demolish - or doing nothing until the buildings deteriorate further and are falling down relics/ ruins is just NOT acceptable - when funds are available for preservation/rehabilitation - for this Register possibility and Grant Funding to Preserve/Rehabilitate NOT to be pursued to convert these buildings to future uses would represent a betrayal of taxpayers trust and increase the destruction of Dutchess County History. An Impeachable Offense???

If Dutchess County Elected Representatives and Appointed Officials really care about and EMBRACE this County's long and significant history as they portray they do by finally restoring funding for a County Historian in the 2005 Budget, they will change their mindset and investigate all options thoroughly for the benefit of our History and Future Generations.

WRITE Today or Tomorrow or as soon as you can! If we sit by and do nothing we will have no one to blame but ourselves for the destruction of our History!

William R. Steinhaus
County Executive
22 Market. St.,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Voice (845) 486-2000  Fax (845) 486-2021
e-Mail countyexec@co.dutchess.ny.us
Dutchess Co. Govt. Website
http://www.dutchessny.gov/

Copy the Dutchess County Legislature:
Dutchess County Legislature
22 Market. St.,
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
Voice (845) 486-2100   Fax (845) 486-2113
countylegislature@co.dutchess.ny.us

As always thank you for your support - Together we can make a difference.