WAPPINGERS FALLS – Town of Wappinger Supervisor Joseph Cavaccini delivered his State of the Town Address on Tuesday evening, titled “The First 100 Days.” Cavaccini, a former Dutchess County legislator is in his first year as town supervisor but has served the town government for more than 10 years, having started as the town’s junior historian.
Cavaccini told the audience of elected officials and town residents of his plans to address land use and planning, primarily through the Wappinger Protection Act. The supervisor describes the act as a “series of legislative actions to strategically plan and protect the character of the town.” He said the town’s moratorium on the construction of large-scale multi-family housing developments is not “anti-business,” explaining, “We needed to take the time to pause – to evaluate our current conditions. This is not meant to be anti-business – we have allowed every aspect of business to move forward.”
Cavaccini called the changes at town hall, a turnaround. “We are changing the philosophy of how local government operates here in Wappinger,” calling the previous 10 years, “A decade of government bureaucracy.”
At 28 square miles, Wappinger is the smallest Dutchess County town in terms of geography while being the second-most densely populated town in the county.
In addition to land use policies, Cavaccini highlighted the following:
Accountability and Efficiency: Measures to ensure fiscal prudence, including internal audits and investigations, utilization of American Rescue Plan funds, implementation of new software for seamless communication across departments, and streamlining of departmental processes to save hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
Parks and Recreation: Expansion of the Wappinger Town public parks system, infrastructure improvements, and partnerships to enhance recreational opportunities for residents.
Community Collaboration: Strengthening relationships with local organizations, fostering community engagement, and recognizing the contributions of residents to the town’s rich history and vibrant community life.
Public Safety: Implementation of the Safe Streets Initiative, collaboration with law enforcement agencies to enhance public safety, and improvements to emergency medical services.
The speech, in its entirety, can be found here.
