Rhinebeck board approves plumbing bid, RFPs, county agreements and budget amendments; posts highway supervisor opening

At its meeting, the Rhinebeck Village Board approved several procurement moves, budget amendments and personnel actions intended to support operations and upcoming capital projects.

Procurements and RFPs: The board approved a Mike George Plumbing and Heating bid for $1,575 to repair toilets and install a new sink at Dillard Hall and authorized issuing two RFPs: one for 24/7 on-call utility services to supplement village crews when equipment or manpower is not available, and another for specialty fabrication and repair (welding and specialized repairs beyond in-house capacity). Trustees said the on-call contracts will establish rates and reduce the need to run new procurements for each emergency repair.

Shared services and county agreements: The village authorized a shared-services renewal to use Dutchess County procurement specialists at $60 per hour (one-hour minimum, billed in 15-minute increments). The board also authorized payment to the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Department for police detail reimbursements under the county schedule ($15.27 per hour plus vehicle costs of $1.17 per mile or $100 per day).

Budget and grants: Treasurer Karen reported the general fund balance ($236,821.92), water fund ($72,405.41) and sewer fund ($103,957.53) for the period ending Oct. 31. Significant vouchers in the general fund included paving and CHIP-related work; budget amendments approved included recognizing a police grant ($13,002.94 as referenced in the treasurer’s remarks), transferring $236,279 from fund balance for street paving, and a CHIPS line adjustment of $191,168. Karen also reported emergency purchases for water infrastructure, including an emergency pump for $58,464 and other water-main repairs.

Personnel: The board approved posting to advertise for a highway working supervisor position at a starting salary of $28 per hour, with the posting to remain open through Dec. 5 at 4 p.m.

Planning and oversight: The board approved a county planning-board contract required under state law defining what local planning matters require county review; the contract runs from Jan. 1 through 2026.

Board President said the village will record all ratified agreements and budget amendments in the clerk’s and treasurer’s records. Several items require follow-up: confirming the exact Frost Foundation donation amount referenced during the meeting, finalizing RFP language and timelines, and posting the highway supervisor job announcement.