Town of Pawling

WHALEY LAKE RESIDENTS GET OK TO FORM DAM-REPAIR DISTRICT:

The final legal steps have been approved that could ensure the repair of a 19th century dam.

The Pawling town board Tuesday voted to accept the final order establishing the formation of an improvement district for the Whaley Lake Dam.

Supervisor Beth Coursen requested the approval be subject to review by the town attorney.

The unanimous vote was the culmination of more than eight years of work by residents of Whaley Lake.

Andrew Block, one of the organizers of the Whaley Lake Dam District Formation Committee, said he had doubted the district would come to fruition.

"It's what the community wanted," he said.

The vote, which took place Saturday, was 148 to 42 in favor of forming the district.

"We see it as a mandate," said Marilyn Berson, counsel for the committee.

In August, the board passed a resolution that approved the district subject to a majority vote of its potential residents.

State law required the board to take one more vote establishing the district, Berson said, adding that Tuesday's resolution will be filed with the state comptroller and the county clerk.