Mid Hudson Times Jan. 06 2016

TIMES MID HUDSON Vol. 28, No 1 3 JANUARY 6 - 12, 2016 Dvorák in Montgomery New Pastor Page 14 Page 2 Meadow Hill School evacuated Monday after phone call Students and staff at Meadow Hill School were evacuated following a phoned-in bomb threat Monday. In all likelihood, the bomb threat was a prank, police said. The threat was left on a voicemail retrieved by school staff early Monday ONE DOLLAR SERVING NEWBURGH AND NEW WINDSOR Police: Bomb threat likely a prank By SHANTAL RILEY [email protected] 3 morning. “As soon as they heard the message, they called police,” said Town of Newburgh Police Chief Michael Clancy. “Erring on the side of caution, they bused Continued on page 4 Fire on the third floor Town of Newburgh, Wal-Mart reach tax settlement By SHANTAL RILEY [email protected] Bob McCormick The City of Newburgh Fire Dept responded Jan. 2 to a structure fire at 129 Third St., in which 30 tenants were reportedly displaced. A second alarm was called after units arrived at the three-story residence. Vails Gate FD was called for their FAST Team to the scene and an additional pumper was called to the scene from Cronomer Valley. Other companies responding included West Point, New Windsor and Middlehope. WWW.MIDHUDSONTIMES.COM The Newburgh Town Council has approved a settlement reducing WalMart’s property tax assessment from $7.2 million to about $7 million. “I think this is a fair assessment,” said town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio, who voted along with the council to accept the settlement terms at a town board meeting last week. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. owns and operates a supercenter located in a 208,000-squarefoot building on 26.1 acres along Route 300. The company filed the lawsuit challenging the assessment in 2013. Orange County Supreme Court Judge Catherine Bartlett proposed the settlement in November. The agreement applies to the store’s property taxes stretching from 2014 to 2019, Piaquadio said. Under the agreement, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District will be required to repay the company approximately $24,000, according to Piaquadio. “Going forward, the school tax bill will be $530,865 yearly,” approximately $25,000 less per year than with the previous assessment, he said. The town will have to repay $5,920, the supervisor said. “Going forward, we will receive approximately $90,000 each year,” Continued on page 3