Active-duty military residents can now enjoy a dip for free

Hudson Highlands Nature Center plans to run a nature-based camp program at Mountain Lake Park this summer. The camp, which was approved by the Warwick Town Board at the January 23 meeting, will feature hikes, outdoor crafts, environmental science experiments, and other nature-based activities. The camp intends to run weekly camp programs (with up to 30 children per week) serving ages four through 10. According to the center’s proposal, it will prioritize registration for Warwick residents.

During the meeting, the board also approved a resolution allowing active-duty military residents of Warwick, as well as their immediate families, free passes to the Mountain Lake Park pool. The town will also offer half-price passes to all resident veterans and first responders.

In other Mountain Lake Park news, Eagle Scout Alexander Rodriguez presented an overview of his Eagle Scout project, which involved building and installing benches along the park’s trail. Dwyer, who shared that he is a leader for his son’s cub scout den, voiced his appreciation for Rodriguez’s work.

Warwick history

Councilman Russ Kowal provided an update on the town’s efforts to commemorate its upcoming sesquicentennial, sharing that he was working with Deputy Town Historian Alan Held to assess the conditions of the historical markers around town and mend those in need of repair.

Humane society

The Warwick Valley Humane Society is applying for a $90,000 grant from the New York State Companion Animal Fund, Councilman Floyd DeAngelo reported. According to DeAngelo, this funding will be used for the purchase and installation of a generator to support the facility during power outages and to resurface the outside exercise runs with durable slip resistant surface.

Infrastructure

During the meeting the DPW commissioner Benjamin Astorino and Supervisor Jesse Dwyer commended the town’s DPW employees for their efforts in addressing a recent water main break in the village of Greenwood Lake. Noting the extreme temperatures the workers had to endure while being sprayed with water, both the commissioner and supervisor thanked them for their hard work in ensuring that the residents of Greenwood Lake had their water back on.

Dwyer reiterated the importance of Wickham Sewer District residents — including Kings Estates and Wickham Village — filling out the income survey they should expect to receive shortly, to help the town secure grant money to fund needed sewer repairs. Dwyer reminded residents that if the town does not receive enough responses to meet the threshold needed to secure grant funding, the cost will fall on the residents of that district since the work on the sewer district must be completed.

Fencing rules

The town board scheduled a public hearing for February 13 for a proposed local law to amend the code to allow for side-yard and rear-yard fences to go up to eight feet. The current code does not permit these fences to exceed six feet, resulting in many parties seeking variances, creating more work for the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals and the town attorney, Dwyer said. He noted that this change would not apply to front-yard fences.