Beacon Democrats

From carolyn4beacon:

Here’s what’s on the agenda for tonight!

Flock cameras have received a ton of attention lately, and our Chief of Police will be delivering a community segment to discuss how they are implemented in Beacon. Before his remarks, the public will have an opportunity to make comments, so please attend (or send us an email) if you want to share your thoughts with City Council and the public. I highly recommend reviewing the document the Chief published about the cameras in case that answers questions you have or sparks new ones. (I’ll link to it in my bio and in comments.)

Thanks to everyone who has already spoken up about this. Public safety and privacy can co-exist, but we should not ever be complacent about it.

Also on the agenda! (Anything with a 🗳️means there’s a related resolution.)

🗳️ We’re appointing a new Deputy City Administrator, Tweeps Phillips Woods. (see the Highlands Current Article here: https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/09/20/beacon-to-name-deputy-administrator/)

🗳️ Talking Trash with our Royal Carting Contract

Workshopping the proposed law on the Fishkill Creek Zoning District and Hotels.

Workshopping the discussion of Fishkill Ave, now called ✨The Eastern Gateway District ✨

🗳️ Discussing Short-Term Rentals and voting to set a public hearing.

🗳️ Discussing parking regulations on East Main Street and voting to set a public hearing.

If you can’t attend the meeting in person, you can always attend via Zoom!

Beacon City Councilmember
Ward One
Lastar Gorton

Let's Meet-On Your Time
Call, text, or email to schedule a time to meet. We all have busy lives, and I don't want anyone to feel confined or excluded by fixed office hours. I'm committed to meeting residents at times that work best for you.

EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: 845-603-2319

You are welcome to join us for the next Beacon Democrats Committee meeting on Saturday, September 19, at 10:00 am at the Beahive, 6 Eliza Street. You are welcome to join, even if you are not a committee member (yet...)

The meeting will start with a vote on our newest committee members, and then local candidates will be joining us for a canvassing kickoff of the 2026 midterms! Joining us will be representatives from the campaigns to talk about their platforms, literature, lawn signs, and walking turfs for our local candidates:
Pat Ryan for Congress (CD-18)
Lisa Kaul for State Senate (SD - 39)
Jonathan Jacobson for Assembly (AD - 104)
Molly Rhodes for County Legislature (CD - 19)
Yvette Valdés Smith for County Legislature (CD - 16)
Maria Rosa for Supreme Court Judge.
If you can’t join us on September 19, canvassing lists will be available every Sunday as we coordinate local door-knocking. Plan to get involved this fall by signing up to join us on Saturday or an upcoming Sunday here: https://www.mobilize.us/nydems2026/event/1036880/ (link in Instagram bio)

From carolyn4beacon:

The last City Council meeting of August is not taking a summer vacation, we have a ton to discuss!*

Resolutions on the agenda this week are appointing two new police officers so we can send them to the police academy in September. We are also voting on a gender-based discrimination policy and City Council workday hours. So not a huge meeting for votes.

That being said, it will be a huge meeting for discussion! We are holding a public hearing on the revised site plan for Edgewater. We will also be continuing our discussion on short-term rentals and will be joined by Building Inspector Bryan Murphy to answer our questions about code enforcement and the permitting program. (Let me know if there’s anything you want me to ask!) Finally, City Planner Natalie Quinn will join us for discussing for the Fishkill Avenue District and the work the committee did to make suggestions about the corridor.

If you have anything to say on these topics, you should:
- Send us an email ([email protected] goes to all of us at once.)
- Come and speak at the meeting! You get three minutes and you’re not just talking to us, you’re talking to the whole city.
- Call into the Zoom meeting, raise your hand and you also get three minutes to speak about any topic.

*There’s so much to discuss, so we are are postponing two public hearings - one on hotels, and the other on the new parking law - to the next meeting in September. (On Tuesday, September 8 because we don’t meet on Labor Day.)

Tomorrow!!

The Beacon Democrats invite you to an Ice Cream Social!

We’ll be meeting on Friday, July 31 from 4:30pm - 7:30pm at Pete and Toshi Riverfront Park in Beacon, NY.
(inclement weather date: Friday, August 7)

Suggested donation: $25 per family. Kids are free! Your donation is appreciated as it helps us fund future campaigns, events, and to elect local Democrats. All are welcome.

We suggest you sign up on our website to make a donation and to receive notification if we need to adjust the date for weather. Sign up here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/icecreaminthepark

In addition to FREE ICE CREAM for attendees, we will have snacks, music, arts and crafts, and plenty of activities for the kids.

Please note that the ice cream will be available while supplies last. Hope to see you there!

From carolyn4beacon:

You’re welcome to come meet with me this Sunday, no appointment necessary.

Do you have questions, ideas, or concerns about what’s happening in Beacon? Do you have any big ideas for our future or expertise in a topic you’d like to share with your local elected official? My door is open to all neighbors, I’ll be in the library’s community room on Sunday, July 12 from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm.

Come pull up a chair and make your voice heard!

***Please note this is a time change from the hours I announced at Monday’s City Council Meeting.***

The third and final segment from our first issue of "By the Numbers" is focused on health and outreach. Dutchess County is home to 3 VA facilities, but the Office of Veterans Affairs will also come to you! Scan the QR code or visit their website for scheduled dates.

We hope that this brief window into the County's veteran population emphasizes the important work of the folks at the OVA, who are ready, willing, and able to provide veterans and their families with the support they need.

Thanks for following along, and catch us next time!

🔗:http://dutchessny.gov/.../Docs/By-the-Numbers-Vets.pdf