POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County is suing to recover $20,000 it provided to an organization through the Learn, Play, Create Grant Program in 2022, funded with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The Learn, Play, Create Grant Program came under scrutiny of County Comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair in 2025 following an audit of the program by his office.
An audit of the funding disbursement for the program found the money was paid in advance of the services, something .
In 2022, the county awarded $20,000 to Poughkeepsie Rising, with City of Poughkeepsie Councilwoman Ondie James as its president and Gully Sanford, a Dutchess County BOCES board member, serving as treasurer. The grant application indicated that the funds were being used to produce a play.
According to the contract for the grant, Poughkeepsie Rising was required to submit receipts and invoices to justify the specific activities funded by the grant. The county alleges in the lawsuit that Poughkeepsie Rising failed to respond to repeated requests by the county’s Department of Planning and Development for the required receipts. In December, the county sent letters to Stanford, indicating that a lawsuit would be initiated if the receipts were not received by January 16, 2026. Poughkeepsie Rising did not respond to the letter sent via certified mail and email to Stanford, and to email to Ondie James.
The lawsuit was filed in the Dutchess County Supreme Court on June 29. According to the affidavit of service, the summons was personally served on Councilwoman Ondie James on June 29 at approximately 6:30 pm.
Councilwoman James declined to comment on the lawsuit and Stanford did not respond to a Mid-Hudson News request for comment.
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