[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",5984550,"mediaKeyId","5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f","parentId",5771962,"title","Resident says council lacks transparency, cites charter and redistricting concerns","audioSeconds",328,"startMs",3072000,"endMs",3400000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f&start=3072&end=3400","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f/thumbnail_3072000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5984550/Poughkeepsie-City/Dutchess-County/New-York/Resident-says-council-lacks-transparency-cites-charter-and-redistricting-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984550-9173aa2f8bb73f1d4fd9319553b968ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770916531&Signature=n8mGCZz4hRTsEnCF7u1bvsa3K1yYUg0sNtqgI7YPEQWCaDvYOpsPHPWgChgkPPvzZ7vynPyekH~XiNMAzhazqUZdi4c8TEn0MWrLDitaypO3e2TNmCwS2W4HAyrWIzmYc7u30C7NqAaQMh5li-1s3xJBcNJV5SeLkh~01TZkdzENqY6RgnE0J1~tc1pQ9JvYFGaYFQwc5A5Sk9S1SQ-KJeaejlq9fTFusR20KyaWzn5GrPExgpECGEoH9Bt2lelVbPNV8WHBDbWC1c1XVQsM6vZ5tuiLDgLouquwqzMOPrRDdciX6q-07HDqRPWqhQ44cxxjcCcIx3Hro1lI0hG1XQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-09-16T00:00:00Z","article","Poughkeepsie — Laurie Sandow, a South Grand Avenue resident, used her public‑comment time at the Sept. 9 Common Council meeting to sharply criticize the council and mayor for what she described as a lack of transparency and violations of charter procedures.

Sandow said she heard calls for unity from the mayor and asked ‘‘what exactly are they asking people to unify around,’’ listing grievances that included blocking residents on the mayor’s social media, informational meetings held without apparent exchange or content, and the role of the corporation counsel. She alleged the council is conducting business ‘‘behind closed doors’’ and that informational meetings had been converted into a charade.

Sandow also said she submitted a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request more than 30 days earlier for the sidewalk repair slides and schedule; she said she had not received the materials and characterized that as a legal violation. She accused the council of rejecting proposed new redistricting commission boundaries without providing the written reasons the charter requires and said the action disenfranchised the city’s Hispanic population, an allegation the council did not address at the meeting.

The council did not take action on the claims during the meeting. Staff and council members later referenced work on redistricting and public meetings in their reports, and the mayor and councilmembers made general statements about continuing community outreach; no immediate remedies or formal responses were recorded on the Sept. 9 agenda.

Sandow’s remarks raised process and transparency concerns the council may need to address in subsequent meetings or via formal FOIL responses.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Common Council Meeting September 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A public commenter urged the council to stop private decision‑making, called informational meetings a 'farce,' raised a delayed FOIL request and said the council rejected new redistricting boundaries without written reasons.","taxTitle","Poughkeepsie City, Dutchess County, New York","taxId",3760,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},5984555,"Ward 8 community organizer announces run for council, urges 'Invest in our New York' and Know‑Your‑Rights outreach",226,2879000,3105000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f&start=2879&end=3105","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f/thumbnail_2879000.jpg","/articles/5984555/Poughkeepsie-City/Dutchess-County/New-York/Ward-8-community-organizer-announces-run-for-council-urges-Invest-in-our-New-York-and-KnowYourRights-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984555-96f8a04f6eff42795bb27476149b0863/orig.mp4?Expires=1770916531&Signature=A912v5FDDtCWgizbniU3uvqtanJNxG3vpPNt-NiDbwBjMFXP8mdK8Ozza2psPAmoFMKxI05JTy6AZJpIi~huybQ0yLQcSN2zXJ--o2bImFV4RjSxT3kBxDOMdj~yyHHoC6JNhRl4h~Dy1W414NLWNW8TZ4SBUJ~-RCavRX9khwMwt1gIU20~zIbPnwnU3kmW5lCVak18~j-M~A4C2rQKWiDiOXB4Lv52ZlAJqvgvnNmg1cFn02CgS-UlutAbyg5YMUvqCpzryYeSwKcAgJ~Znhe6PWkmfPh7xx5VKOB0Xx4MkMjnYsiGApXXIPWJNopfj1Cilp7t8fw605Y9p13WqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Poughkeepsie — Daniel Tona, a union member and community organizer who said he was raised in Ward 8, told the Common Council during public comment on Sept. 9 that he is the Democratic nominee for the Ward 8 council seat and called for local advocacy on immigration enforcement, taxation and public services.

Tona said he attended several recent community events and urged the city to publicly share ‘‘Know Your Rights’’ information in light of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the region. He cited a 2017 Common Council declaration that Poughkeepsie is a \"safe city,\" meaning local police should not stop, question, arrest or hold someone solely on the basis of immigration status, and asked the city to use its newsletter and social channels to inform residents of their constitutional protections.

Tona also urged the New York State Legislature to adopt the Invest in Our New York package to tax the wealthy and fund services including healthcare, housing and lead‑pipe replacement. He identified endorsements by the Dutchess County Comptroller Dan Amar Blair and the Dutchess County Central Labor Council, and encouraged Ward 8 voters to contact him with questions about his campaign.

Tona's comment combined a campaign announcement with policy advocacy; no formal council response or action was taken at the meeting.","Daniel Tona, a Ward 8 resident and community organizer, announced his candidacy for the Poughkeepsie Common Council Ward 8 seat, described endorsements and urged the city to publish Know‑Your‑Rights material after recent ICE activity in the region.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},5984558,"Residents and council discuss speed hump placement; mayor announces park stewards and outreach to encampment",1377,2613000,3990000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f&start=2613&end=3990","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f/thumbnail_2613000.jpg","/articles/5984558/Poughkeepsie-City/Dutchess-County/New-York/Residents-and-council-discuss-speed-hump-placement-mayor-announces-park-stewards-and-outreach-to-encampment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984558-cfaa2135da721ed5d0f59f61b00fde43/orig.mp4?Expires=1770916531&Signature=eCVbBr-d2GES~DxeAK6KLt9bTyIZyW8pyHDymzSkDg9PCdoGzi141AJ4usM8B6cbMgs2z73DuUBQqwtRbhcy7ckb-JThZ4ul6BDk7CE0RyR512xOKf7yw9oO3amwCf3vbUPcoAR0OmkNWZKU8507Nlm0FLghhZkCHHbSzH6h4L8GE3LzGg3LamEcsfw547bdbfS4F1mFDIH2sTK98nJWLYD9B5CKCqHwfn96boNJW8uO-WW5wrT37b3Um0BSDTOUrLB-LYQGHYUbC8eA66Tsiu1k1jIXDbUgPY6koYF56cbp0HmL-FrUzJkj5sMELMXK0-CdbchO45XviPJ2YuW2og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Poughkeepsie — Public comment at the Sept. 9 Common Council meeting raised safety concerns in school zones and near city parks, prompting the mayor to describe immediate steps the city is taking on speed humps, park stewardship and outreach to address a small encampment on North White Street.

Paul Brenner, who gave his address as South Grand Avenue in the Eighth Ward, said speed humps placed on only one side of some streets are ineffective because drivers simply drive around them. He said he lives across from Krieger Elementary School and has witnessed frequent double parking that blocks bus exits and near‑misses between vehicles and children.

Brenner called for speed humps to ‘‘cover the entire road’’ in school zones and urged better enforcement of parking and stopping rules. He said he has seen parents park at fire hydrants and make K‑turns that bring traffic to a standstill during school arrival and dismissal.

Mayor Michelle Flowers responded that the city has ordered additional temporary speed humps to complement ones already installed, and that the administration has met with school staff about traffic plans for Krieger Elementary. The mayor said the city will hold a follow‑up meeting with school officials the week after the council meeting to check whether measures are working and to consider additional signage.

Separately, the mayor described a park‑steward initiative organized with nonprofit partners and the Alliance. She said park stewards have been hired for Earl and Patrice Park and Malcolm X Park, and that a steward is scheduled to start at Pershing (Pershing Avenue Community Garden) to improve safety and encourage family use through stewardship and monitoring.

The mayor also reported a worsening situation on North White Street where a vacant property has attracted people who have been sitting along the walkway; she said outreach teams will be deployed to offer services and to advise that the behavior cannot continue near school walking routes.

No formal ordinance or enforcement action was voted at the meeting; the mayor described administrative steps and outreach the city plans to take in the coming days.","A resident urged city action after observing drivers bypass partial speed humps near Krieger Elementary; the mayor said the city is ordering additional temporary speed humps, has hired park stewards for several parks and will deploy outreach to a North White Street encampment affecting children walking to school.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},5984563,"Poughkeepsie Alliance outlines parks, signage and workforce projects, seeks city partnership",1190,106000,1296000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f&start=106&end=1296","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f/thumbnail_106000.jpg","/articles/5984563/Poughkeepsie-City/Dutchess-County/New-York/Poughkeepsie-Alliance-outlines-parks-signage-and-workforce-projects-seeks-city-partnership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984563-883f4d4066a2bd44f00a92bbb47bbc21/orig.mp4?Expires=1770916531&Signature=N4BPugBSZoPqOqClBmmtOyTZNkwtuNU4Q7IS49eutMZkTICnaqcxDzEXLX6xRZ3fV~NtAkl3DuKNOGCemmUdvmDRP5AS8EVNnZHctrQ0BFwiGaEm1AzzDcXLu7OThLIVGI77VzQt5p9N4WroqNd85~bKQFMMPz5PaOIUq8xgE7gumjop92f-IW-jGfnhllwNAjU5yf-aCGUH029WY59iH3GIOB14G6X2tq1gumOUpoci~NmUg84UJJGR1dWqXa4yvd5sCi3WkSrrM8Q-A9-afhmW1Jr4hIp~eUCG6xRtCtHrPz7~Waxkt91Pu4ZJm4bxogQfVJaeLF6-mG3xyqWqhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Poughkeepsie — The volunteer Poughkeepsie Alliance presented its projects and partner network to the Common Council on Sept. 9, outlining past work on public signs and parks and current efforts on welcome signs, park reclamation and workforce connections with local hospitals and colleges.

Mary Lang, identified as vice president of real estate development for Hudson River Housing and chair of the Poughkeepsie Alliance, told the council the all‑volunteer 501(c)(3) board brings together business, nonprofit, medical and higher‑education institutions to support projects that ‘‘help people and places in Poughkeepsie thrive.’’ Brian Doyle, co‑chair, summarized physical projects and programmatic work the Alliance has supported since 2014.

Nut graf: The Alliance described a mix of small capital projects and convening work — from signage and pocket parks to workforce mapping intended to funnel local students into career pathways at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and other health employers — and asked the council to consider partnership and referrals when Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) projects move forward.

Details: Doyle said the Alliance contributed to mounting the city’s welcome sign so letters cannot be removed, installed cameras at that sign and is holding off on restoration pending DRI decisions. He described an Academy Street welcome sign effort with $41,000 already devoted and multiple partners (Central Hudson, LaBella, Nuvance, the city and contractors). Lang said in‑kind services from design and construction partners exceed $10,000.

On programs, the Alliance said it raised about $62,000 during the COVID school‑closure period for digital learning devices and funded a fiscal mapping project for the Children’s Cabinet to improve after‑school programming. The Alliance also described a workforce initiative convening Marist College, Dutchess Community College, BOCES and local hospitals to outline entry‑level healthcare positions, related credentials and pathways for young residents.

Lang and Doyle said the Alliance is part of a current effort to ‘‘reclaim the parks’’ by organizing park stewards and partners — Scenic Hudson, Hudson River Housing, Poughkeepsie Farm Project and others — to improve safety and family use in city parks. The Alliance requested the council keep them informed as DRI project selections and other city planning proceed.

No vote or formal action followed the presentation. Council members thanked the presenters and asked for continued coordination on signs and park projects.","The Poughkeepsie Alliance described physical and programmatic projects including welcome‑sign restorations, an Academy Street sign budgeted at $41,000 so far, a $62,000 digital learning contribution during COVID and workforce partnerships with area hospitals and colleges.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},5984568,"City hears results of 60‑day Samsara fleet pilot showing video, GPS and maintenance gains",1195,1422000,2617000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f&start=1422&end=2617","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5771962-5d14c9d8a3f5ca0e105103b7a706976f/thumbnail_1422000.jpg","/articles/5984568/Poughkeepsie-City/Dutchess-County/New-York/City-hears-results-of-60day-Samsara-fleet-pilot-showing-video-GPS-and-maintenance-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984568-58ccbfc63798a4a95fbf57cdd53bdf0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770916531&Signature=FpzmWnu2vg9x3ebGf-lDNNJMT4oYBg5bVSbUCVCQUI1Tp1nds9uv1FCP5gg~ahDWKAcU9pAFAvuiTYzdWvTeqai4rlK-FFbNA2MWbkG7Q70LskQ0wdDbH2-ALhyXqhtuqI3hATBZdKjQyEVZvL13zSsEcmzXqkRBw3pwSGQlNl1vDKVzgYvsxinoY7bDKHzN0DicKSXM1DbuZ9KQMF35-L5hMTIPjjlPCnpbWvxY1K6nHuRDzqLW9XVPFJCnM5EgTrP5cLtX1VE3d2pTmJbLmOsxD~jWmq1m~Q8fUrySxWPJCLcVtRoWQbcpnCloO-11zf8S06ZrxMiwTMFYHkSgFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Poughkeepsie — Samsara, a connected‑operations company, told the Poughkeepsie Common Council on Sept. 9 that a roughly 45‑ to 60‑day pilot of dash cameras and telematics on about 24 city vehicles produced data the city is using for driver coaching, maintenance scheduling and incident review.

The pilot captured more than 22,000 miles and about 2,000 vehicle hours across the fleet, company representative Austin O’Shea said, and produced more than 800 safety events including 295 speeding events and 202 rolling‑stop detections. The system also identified that about 32% of engine time in the pilot was idling, a figure the public works team has worked to reduce.

The city’s public works staff used telematics and a “proximity search” to verify whether a vehicle had been in a given location when residents called about service or a complaint, O’Shea said. Cameras with on‑device artificial intelligence automatically cut 10– to 20‑second clips of detected events, and the department can retrieve longer footage when needed for investigations, he added.

Why it matters: Council members and staff said the system could lower liability exposure, aid driver coaching and save maintenance time and costs. Mayor Flowers noted the system does not record audio \"for privacy concerns,\" and that in pilot use the footage had helped exonerate drivers in at least one collision claim.

Details from the pilot included preventive‑maintenance scheduling alerts that John Farrow, the city garage manager, said let him receive service notifications on a phone instead of relying on pen‑and‑paper logs. O’Shea said fuel analysis showed more than 4,000 gallons consumed by the pilot vehicles and that the city had already seen idling decline after staff coaching.

The city and Samsara discussed privacy and operational questions in a public Q&A. Council members asked how footage is accessed and whether anyone watches live video; O’Shea and city staff said no one monitors feeds continuously — footage is stored to a cloud dashboard and is accessible to authorized staff through the app or a browser. Drivers can also pin a 30‑second clip with a button on the camera if they want to flag an incident.

Cost and insurance: O’Shea said the annual cost for the vehicles included in the pilot would be about $55,105 per year for the public works fleet as configured. Mayor Flowers and staff said the city has seen an insurance premium reduction since installing the pilot equipment and that preventing a single backup crash — which the city estimates often costs $10,000–$12,000 per claim — would justify part of the program cost.

No formal action to adopt the system citywide was taken at the meeting; council members and staff said the pilot results are informing a decision on whether to expand the program to additional vehicles or departments.

The pilot presentation and Q&A took place during the council’s meeting; Council members asked for more detail on rollout and costs if the city moves forward.","Samsara presented a roughly 45–60 day pilot of dash cameras and telematics on about 24 city vehicles, showing maintenance alerts, reduced idling and hundreds of safety events; the public works department is evaluating continued use and reported lower insurance costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident says council lacks transparency, cites charter and redistricting concerns

Ward 8 community organizer announces run for council, urges 'Invest in our New York' and Know‑Your‑Rights outreach

Residents and council discuss speed hump placement; mayor announces park stewards and outreach to encampment

Poughkeepsie Alliance outlines parks, signage and workforce projects, seeks city partnership

City hears results of 60‑day Samsara fleet pilot showing video, GPS and maintenance gains