Cold Spring Senior Center Still Needs Name
With guidance from Philipstown senior citizens, the Putnam County Legislature will determine a name for the senior center set to hopefully open in Cold Spring later this year.
During a rules committee meeting last Thursday, Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra said the developer for the Butterfield redevelopment where the center will be located, Paul Guillaro, would like a name chosen for the center. Guillaro wants to start putting signs out on the street that indicate what’s within the Butterfield campus, including the senior center.
Scuccimarra said one idea she had was naming the location leased by the county the Julia Butterfield Senior and Community Center, but at the suggestion of County Executive MaryEllen Odell, seniors will also have a say before a final decision is reached.
Scuccimarra said any possible name would be discussed with the Philipstown town board and the Cold Spring village board.
Controversy embroiled the naming of the senior center more than a year ago when the county tried to name it after former Garrison resident Roger Ailes, who is now deceased. Ailes was set to donate $500,000 for the new and improved center and would get his name on the front of the center, but when news broke that he allegedly sexually harassed and mistreated women as Fox News chairman, the legislature delayed its agreement with media mogul. Amid outrage, Ailes pulled out his donation for the center.
Progress in renovating the senior center space hasn’t gone as swiftly as county officials would like, with bids for the work coming back higher than anticipated last year. A new request for proposal was supposed to be put out the early part of this year.
