MAMAKATING — A month ago, residents old and new alike gathered at Town Hall to voice their concerns over the possibility of data center development in Mamakating, with speakers raising issues including noise and water consumption.

Following the discussion, the Board moved toward a temporary moratorium, while reminding attendees that a public hearing would need to take place before the proposed law could receive final approval. However, the public left that night without a firm date, other than the expectation that the hearing would occur within the next few Town Board meetings.

That ambiguity changed Tuesday night, as a public hearing was scheduled for the Board’s Oct. 20 meeting. The hearing will focus on a proposed local law establishing a moratorium on data centers in the Town of Mamakating.

The intervening period has allowed the proposed law’s wording to undergo legal review. The measure remains under consideration and has not yet been adopted, though the public hearing will give residents another opportunity to share their thoughts before the Board proceeds with the next steps.

Mamakating O&W Trail completion date gets adjustment

A schedule change for the Mamakating O&W Rail Trail project was approved during the Town of Mamakating’s Tuesday night meeting.

Rutledge Excavating has been hard at work making the O&W Rail Trail accessible to the public, even if it means the goalposts will be pushed ahead just a little bit. The Town Board approved a schedule extension after changes were needed during bridge construction, allowing the project to proceed while giving Rutledge a larger window to finish the work.

This comes after a change approved at one of the Town Board’s previous meetings involving a change order for additional steel, ultimately saving the Town $5,200 while retaining the century-and-a-half-old abutments present at the site.

During the discussion, Councilman Rob Rogers inquired about the timeframe for plantings and grass seeding, voicing concern over whether the contractor could successfully establish the grass if the work extended into November.

Town Supervisor Peter Goodman said he would reach out to the contractor for clarification on the plan, including whether the planting schedule should also be adjusted. The revised schedule was later approved with a motion by Rogers and a second from Councilman Matt Mordas, while remaining subject to modification for the planting work.

This discussion follows concerns raised by resident Mary-Allison Farley at an earlier meeting, when she asked whether the trail project would be finished on schedule. Goodman said the Town would share updates with the public through its Facebook page and website.

As a longstanding community effort, the Mamakating O&W Rail Trail project aims to link existing trail sections and improve public access to the area’s natural beauty and rich railroad history.