Town highway superintendent says he did not authorize Dodge Road closure tied to Paramount filming

Bobby, the town highway superintendent, told the Pawling Town Board on July 22 that he did not authorize a recent Dodge Road closure connected to a Paramount Pictures production and said the town’s highway law requires the highway superintendent to issue road-closure notices. “I did not authorize the closure,” Bobby said, adding later, “I am disgusted…this is not what I signed up for at all.”

He told the board that Paramount’s scheduling had changed several times, leaving residents and town crews confused and inconvenienced. “They close it, then they ask to change it, then it’s closed again, then it’s open again,” he said, describing repeated short-notice changes that forced school-bus and work-route adjustments.

Board members and participants disputed how the closure was authorized and whether the supervisor had the legal authority to issue the notice without involving the highway superintendent. One participant noted that a town attorney had issued an opinion; Bobby said he did not agree with that reading of highway law and said he had not filed any closure paperwork with the clerk. “The highway superintendent is supposed to be the one that does the road closures,” he said.

Some board members urged working with the production company because it brings revenue to Pawling, while others prioritized consistent notice to emergency services and residents. A council member asked for at least 48 to 72 hours’ notice to allow the fire department, EMS and school buses to plan. Another member urged the supervisor, Bobby and Paramount to meet to resolve the scheduling and payment questions.

The board did not take formal action on the dispute at the special meeting; members said they would consult the town attorney to clarify the legal authority and follow-up process. The meeting record shows participants called for clearer procedures, better communication with the highway superintendent and explicit expectations for notice and payment when closures require town services.

The board adjourned without resolving the dispute; the item may return for further discussion after the town attorney reviews the matter.