The city of Poughkeepsie recently named its first commissioner of development as longtime resident Europa McGovern.

The new position will oversee several departments at City Hall, including the building division, planning, zoning, youth services, communications, social services (CDBG) and Section 8.

The position aims to streamline the city's development at a critical time as it focuses on building more affordable housing, fixing its aging pipes and spending money it was recently awarded through New York's Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

"We want to be able to keep and retain our existing residents, while attracting new residents and again businesses and other investment as well," McGovern said.

Senators Michelle Hinchey, James Skoufis, and Rob Rolison sent a letter to the New York State Department of Transportation expressing concerns regarding recent findings by the National Transportation Safety Board on the potential structural vulnerability of the Rip Van Winkle and Newburgh-Beacon bridges.

These findings were part of the NTSB’s investigation into last year’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

That report raised alarms about other bridges nationwide, which also lack certain assessments, including the two in the Hudson Valley.

Skoufis and other lawmakers demanded the state address the NTSB's report, timelines for addressing possible structural vulnerabilities and the availability of state funding for possible repairs.

"We must take every action possible to prevent another tragedy from occurring," Skoufis said. "