Story and photos 

By Jacqueline C. Herman 

BETHEL — On the agenda at the Bethel Town Board meeting February 26 was the receipt of an award by electric firm Ray S. Pantel of Middletown for the job of installing the electric components and systems of the new Bethel Highway Garage. The double height one story structure will be all-electric with no fossil fuel burning equipment. 

It will be large enough to accommodate the entire truck fleet, a tire shop, machine shop, sign shop, an office, staff break room, locker and storage areas. The advertisement for bids took place in February and the aforementioned bid is for the amount of $900,000. 

The chosen electric firm is required to execute the agreement and furnish a required contractor’s performance bond, a payment bond, and certificates of insurance within 10 calendar days from February 26, the date of the notice. The bid was awarded as a result of a rebidding process, which occurred because there had been a discrepancy in the inclusion of a battery backup system. The town will be saving $174,000 as a result of the difference between this bid and the original one.

Bethel Town Supervisor Dan Sturm stated that the facility will be a “much needed, model building…. that is long overdue.”

Traffic plans for 2025 season at Bethel Woods

Paul Lloyd, General Manager of Bethel Woods, presented traffic plans for three major events during the 2025 season to enlist the support of the Town in mitigating the stress of potential traffic and associated hazards on local roads. There will be no road closures during the Peace, Love, and Lights event, which commences November 28, and runs 7 days a week through December 28, nor during the regular Pavilion Concert Series, which begins in May, when video message boards will be posted on the property to direct parking.

The Harvest Festival will be held every Sunday August 31, through October 5, and will require the closure of West Shore Road for a short distance between Hurd Road west to the Bethel Woods Conservatory 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. during the events. 

The General Manager stated that last year, “[Bethel Woods] seemed not to have any issue...we worked fine with emergency vehicles.”