New York Champion Butternut Poughkeepsie, New York Robin Poritzky stands guard beneath the State Champion

POUGHKEEPSIE, New York—During a hastily-called special meeting on Monday night, the Common Council voted 6-1 to loan $40,000 to the Forbus Butternut Association so the neighborhood group could acquire at least part of the property surrounding the state's record-setting butternut tree.

Pressure to do something to preserve the open space around the butternut grew dramatically last week as developer Milton Maybaum-who had delayed an approved five-lot residential subdivision for several months to give the association time to raise the funds to buy the property-commenced construction on his project. As a result, the Butternut Association sought a scaled-down city UDAG loan in order to purchase three of the property's five residential lots.

The association's original request for $100,000 to purchase the entire one-acre parcel had caused some consternation among city officials, some of whom balked at the thought of using city funds, normally earmarked to encourage development, for land preservation. In particular, Councilman Robert Bossi Jr. (R-Ward 6), whose ward includes the butternut site, opposed loaning land acquisition funds to the association if non-profit status didn't first agree to make PILOT (payments in lieu of taxes) to the city for as long as it owned the property. The association had, instead, offered to make PILOTa throughout the life o f the loan and for five years thereafter. Bossi consistently argued that the relatively small payments were symbolically important, representing a "small gesture of thanks," to a city that has struggled to revive its tax base.

But Mayor Colette LaFuente prevailed upon a majority of the Council to think about the historical legacy represented by the ancient tree—determined by state foresters to be the largest of its kind ever recorded in the state, and estimated to be over 200 years old.

Forbus Butternut Assoc. of Poughkeepsie P.O. Box 5058 Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 845-454-2349 President Gary Privratsky

"This is a neighborhood ... where people would like to save a tree that has lived through the history of this country," she said during deliberations before the vote. "Frankly, I don't think the City of Poughkeepsie will look like we know what we are doing if we don't preserve a tree that is getting national recognition."

The Council subsequently voted to approve the loan, contingent on the association also receiving a $22,000 open space preservation grant from Dutchess County. The association would be required to repay the loan, at three percent interest, over a five-year period. It would also need to make PILOTs to the city throughout the life of the loan and for an additional five years.

For more about this New York Champion, and the neighbors trying to save it: Neighbors fight for nut tree A Champion for Open Space Save Our State Champion Group has 60 days to buy land Battle of the Butternut

Now that the group has received a commitment of funding from the city, County Legislator Fran Knapp (D-City of Poughkeepsie), who is also a member of the Butternut Association, said the association can now apply for a grant from the county's open space preservation fund in order to raise the full $60,000 it needs to purchase the property from Maybaum. She said an application will be made to the county's department of planning this month in hopes of gaining county approval in July.

"I'm pleased that the city has finally agreed to support the efforts of city residents to improve their neighborhood," she said this week.