Our Team Did This! | PattersonFirst

Our Previously Endorsed and Elected Team did this!

In 2017, started the Town's Ambulance Service
Secured over 15 million in Grants (see below)
Added new docks for Putnam Lake at Warren Beach and Jackson Beach
In 2022, volunteered and built the Patterson Environmental Park Boardwalk
Finished several capital projects including a new:
- Town Hall,
- Recreation Center,
- Wastewater treatment plant for the Hamlet
- Courthouse (See Magistrate Award)
Saved Acme, Dunkin Donuts, Thunder Ridge, Mobil Gas Station, Patterson Library and Cartwright with failing septic systems by working with the DEP to tie them into the Town's Wastewater Treatment Plant
Kept 2024 Town of Patterson Budget at less than 1% increase (read here)

Year Purpose Amount
1990 Recycling Equipment $30,867.00
1995 OPRHP Grant of the Design and Renovation of the Court House/Library buildi $70,000.00
1998 ESD Grant for Town Hall design $200,000.00
1999 DHCR Grant for Town Hall Construction $500,000.00
1999 Front Street Sewer Collection System $640,000.00
1999 OPRHP Grant for Streetscape Improvements along Route 311 $30,000.00
2000 JCAP Grant for metal detector $3,500.00
2000 Evaluate development of a stormwater management district along Route 22 $625,000.00
2000 Lake Management Grant for Putnam Lake Study $5,000.00
2000 Metro-North Commuter Parking Lot $1,200,000.00
2002 NYSDEC Grant for purchase of street sweeper $144,346.00
2002 CCAP Grant for Recreation Center $750,000.00
2002 Main Street Initiative Grant for Sidewalks along Front Street $24,364.28
2004 Develop Laserfische scanning program $11,202.00
2005 East of Hudson Funds for Putnam Lake Improvements $800,000.00
2006 Grant for Education shared by Putnam County municipalities $51,000.00
2006 Funding to retrofit four existing detention basins $144,000.00
2006 Design a series of stormwater management practices in the Putnam Lake Drain $120,000.00
2006 JCAP Grant for File Cabinets $1,170.00
2007 East of Hudson Funds for Patterson WWTP $2,100,000.00
2007 New York City Funds for Patterson WWTP $4,138,320.00
2007 WRDA Grant for Design of Patterson WWTP $385,000.00
2008 NYSDOS Grant to Study cost of Retrofit Program $120,000.00
2011 DASNY Grant for land acquisition of New Courthouse $250,000.00
2011 DASNY grant for Courthouse Construction $1,000,000.00
2012 DASNY Grant for Recreation Center Air Conditioners $100,000.00
2014 DASNY Grant for Carp Gate $50,000.00
2014 DASNY Grant for Salt Storage Building $150,000.00
2015 DASNY Grant for Warrren Beach Docks $100,000.00
2017 NYSDEC Grant for stormwater pond in Veterans Park $146,250.00
2018 DASNY Grant for Land Acquisition for EMS Building $100,000.00
2020 DASNY Improvements to Route 311 $1,415,000.00
2021 DASNY Construction of EMS Building $100,000.00
2021 DASNY Grant for Jackson Beach Docks $100,000.00
Total $15,605,019.28

Grant Summary:

RICH WILLIAMS - Town Planning Board, Supervisor

Accomplishments Over the Years

1. Ambulance

Beginning in 2015 the Town paid EMStar employees to ride the Patterson Fire Department’s Ambulance. The Town Board knew this method of providing ambulance service was unsustainable. In 2016 the Town paid EMStar $280,193 to provide two EMT’s to ride the Patterson Fire Department’s Ambulance, and the yearly cost would have been much higher without the assistance of the Patterson Fire Department. In October of 2016 the Town Board authorized the creation of a Town Ambulance Service. In five short months, Supervisor Williams applied for and received authorization from the State, purchased two ambulances and all the equipment and supplies and hired all the EMT’s and an administrator. Patterson’s Ambulance was placed in service on March 20, 2017. The Service was started with a preliminary budget prepared by Supervisor Williams which did not incur any long-term debt for the Town. In the first 21 months of operation the Ambulance had generated $745,561 in revenue to offset costs. The ambulance service has reduced the financial impact to our residents by 70%. In 2018 our average response time was 10.3 minutes, including the Priority3 calls. Thirty-percent of all calls were responded to in under 8 minutes.

2. 2018 Downdraft

2018 will certainly be remembered; with back-to-back nor'easters in March and a Microburst downdraft on May 15 which destroyed NYSEG’s electric lines. Many of the Town’s roads were closed by multiple downed trees tangled in a sea of utility wires. All of Patterson’s 4,458 NYSEG customers were without power. 213 utility poles had been broken and required replacing.

Russ Goff and the Patterson Highway Department worked around the clock clearing the downed trees from the roads while Supervisor Williams and Councilman Rogan coordinated activities with the County, picked up and delivered dry ice and water to residents in need, coordinated NYSEG repair crews, Homeland Security tree crews and other assistance provide to the Town, and oversaw the Recreation Center acting as an emergency shelter. And in between all that, as time allowed, Supervisor Williams picked up a chain saw to clear roads. In just six days they had all the roads open and power restored to almost all of the Town’s residents.

3. Town Budgets.

We have developed seven budgets for the Town, and every budget has been kept under the 2% tax cap, including this year where we saw some pretty significant increases in our costs. We are always looking to move projects forward that will better our community, but we don’t look to do that by raising taxes. Instead Supervisor Williams looks to use grants and other funding sources. Sometimes that means having to be a little patient. But we are committed to keeping our taxes as low as we can.

4. East of Hudson Watershed Corporation

The East of Hudson Watershed Corporation was created by 19 municipalities in Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester County to support shared compliance with the stormwater retrofit component of the NYSDEC MS4 Permit. Supervisor Williams helped create the Corporation and has served on the executive board since its inception and currently he serves as President. He was part of the negotiating team that secured the original $40 million in funding for the Corporation and an additional $22 million from the NYCDEP to continue the program. This funding is a direct savings to our taxpayers, who otherwise would need to pay for this program. The MS4 Program is very important to improve the quality of Putnam Lake by helping to fund additional stormwater improvements.

5. The Pandemic

During the initial three months of Supervisor Williams' previous term, commencing in 2020, a global pandemic emerged. By the start of April, the State began shutting down various activities and mandated that non-essential personnel remain at home. Supervisor Williams frequently communicated with other Putnam Supervisors who were also shutting down most of their operations. However, his dedication to this role revolves around serving his community, and it was clear to him that we couldn't fulfill that mission if our doors were closed. Consequently, our Town Hall never shut down completely. While we did reduce our operations, he implemented safety protocols to ensure the well-being of our employees and residents. He adjusted our procedures and kept Town Hall open for business. Both our Town Clerk, Eileen, and Supervisor Williams never missed a day of work. Throughout the pandemic, one could still get a building permit, recycling permit and other necessary documents at Patterson Town Hall.

6. LED Street Lights

In 2018, using a NYSEG program, Supervisor Williams and Councilman Rogan coordinated changing all of Patterson’s street lights to LED, saving considerably on our utility bills.

7. Warren and Jackson Docks

Supervisor Williams and Councilman Rogan secured grants and installed new docks at Warren and Jackson Beaches.

8. Supervisor Williams and Councilman Rogan have worked hard to bring commercial projects to Patterson to mitigate against rising taxes.

Over the last several years they have worked on:

Firematic to occupy the Holiday on Wheels building in Robin Hill Corporate Park
Expansion of Boarshead
Clancy Moving Systems expansion
Stack n’ Store - 68,000 sq.ft. self storage facility
Mayfield property - Restored to become The Farmhouse
Putnam Lake Gas Station
Liberty Paintball - A commercial recreation facility
Contech - 6000 sq.ft. office for a contractor
White Birch - 30,000 sq.ft. warehouse
D’Ottavio - 28,500 sq.ft. of warehouse
HD Carpentry - 20,000 light manufacturing
Stone Hill - propane distribution facility
OIA - 100,000 sq.ft. commercial building
Boniello - 26,000 sq.ft. flex space for commercial rentals
Patterson Inn - 119 Room Boutique Hotel with conference center