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Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , January 31 , 2018

PUBLIC AGENDA

THURSDAY , FEBRUARY 1 Town of Newburgh Planning Board , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 1496 Route 300 , Town of Newburgh .

WEDNESDAY , FEBRUARY 7

New Windsor Town Board , 7 p . m ., Town Hall , 555 Union Ave ., New Windsor .

THURSDAY , FEBRUARY 8

Newburgh City Council Work Session , 6 p . m . City Hall , 83 Broadway .

MONDAY , FEBRUARY 12

Newburgh City Council meeting . 7 p . m . City Hall , 83 Broadway .

TUESDAY , FEBRUARY 13

Newburgh Town Board meeting , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 1496 Route 300 , Town of Newburgh .

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The Mid Hudson Times ( USPS 000-5947 ) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh , NY 12550 , with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , NY Single copy : $ 1 at newsstand . By mail in Orange , Ulster or Sullivan Counties : $ 40 annually , $ 44 out of county . Periodicals permit at Newburgh , NY POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Mid Hudson Times , 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , NY 12550 .

By SHANTAL RILEY sriley @ tcnewspapers . com

Two dogs were rescued in a two-alarm fire inside a building on Broadway on Friday . Fire crews found the two terriers in the basement of the building .

The blaze started in the basement of the three-story , mixed-use building , located at 195 Broadway . Residents living on the second and third floors were evacuated with no injuries , City of Newburgh Acting Fire Chief Terry Ahlers said Tuesday .

Both of the dogs were given oxygen to treat smoke inhalation and returned to their owners , Ahlers said . The fire remains under investigation , but appears to be accidental and electrical in nature , Ahlers said .

City firefighters were able to bring the fire under control 36 minutes following the initial alarm . “ We had a full crew that day , and that ’ s how we were able to keep the fire confined to the basement ,” Ahlers said .

The building was later condemned due to several , serious building-code violations , Ahlers said , but those violations were unrelated to the fire . Stewart Air National Guard and West Point Professional Firefighters provided mutual aid .

By LAUREN BERG

At the January 22 meeting , town of Newburgh board members discussed a proposal to partner with the Humane Society of Walden . The Humane Society of Walden is a nonprofit organization that helps stray and abandoned cats and dogs . As a no-kill shelter , the Humane Society offers valuable resources such as animal trainers and adoption services to help get the animals adopted .

The Town of Newburgh currently has a municipal animal shelter at 645 Gidney Avenue . The shelter ’ s purpose as stated online is to “ enforce the Town of Newburgh Dog Control Ordinance , State Laws , investigate cruelty cases and rescue any animal in need , whether it be a domestic animal or wild animal .”

According to town councilman Paul Ruggiero , the Town of Newburgh animal shelter occasionally has a few unfriendly or slightly aggressive dogs that have trouble getting adopted . At the January 22 meeting he reported that the shelter

Courtesy City of Newburgh Fire Department

Fire crews rescued two terriers in a fire at 195 Broadway on Friday .

currently had three such dogs that were difficult to adopt . A partnership with the Humane Society of Walden , which would cost the town $ 550 a year , would enable the non-profit to take these difficult dogs off the town ’ s hand , and provide the training and resources to help get the dogs adopted .

“ We are trying to avoid putting these dogs down because they are good dogs . But they need training , they need to be walked more , and they need more personal care ,” Ruggiero said .

Each dog the Humane Society of Walden takes would cost an additional $ 100 , a price tag which Ruggiero says would actually save the town money . The town currently spends about $ 170 per dog to neuter or spay it , give it the appropriate vaccines , and test for various diseases in order to get the dog ready for adoption . The Town of Newburgh shelter currently covers these veterinary costs by withdrawing funds from the town ’ s T-94 , T-93 and T-92 accounts , which are made up of donations to the town and does not include tax-payer funds , two of which are specifically designated for costs associated with neutering / spaying feral and domestic cats . The town board hopes that the funds for a partnership with the Humane Society of Walden could be covered by the T-94 account .

The Humane Society of Walden does not ever refuse a dog , and would come and personally assess the dog out before taking it . After the town shelter holds on to the dog for the mandatory five days , the Humane Society could come take the dog , at which point it assumes full responsibility over it .

“ They would take the dog , train it , get it adoptable , and adopted ,” Ruggiero asserted .

Ruggiero is hopeful that if the town decides to go ahead on this partnership , they would be able to include the adoption of one or two of the town ’ s dogs as a condition of the agreement .

The town board agreed to return to the proposal at a future meeting .