Go Blue for Child Abuse Prevention

In an effort to facilitate awareness and a continued discussion about Child Abuse Prevention, the Child at Risk Response team of Schoharie County's (CARRT) Education Sub-Committee is challenging all of Schoharie County to go blue on Friday, April 17th.

Encouraging local schools and businesses to go blue and to take up a collection to support the prevention and intervention efforts of the CARRT MDT and CARRT Center, the response team will highlight the highest collective organization on its facebook page. 

All donations can be mailed to CARRT, INC., P.O. Box 4, Schoharie, NY, 12157.

Letter to the Editor: Local Land Law Was too Restrictive

Dear Editor,

I write in response to a letter to the editor which recently appeared in the Times Journal.  The letter was signed by Jeremy Rosenthal, chairman of the Town of Schoharie Planning Board.  In his letter, the Chairman criticized the Town Board’s suggested changes to our proposed Land Use Law.  In particular, he criticized certain changes which I had suggested.

I am writing to explain why I have made those suggestions.  In the past 3 years that I have served on the town board I have listened to the residents of the Town of Schoharie- a population about 3,000.   Over the years many residents have asked me certain questions such as, why did the dollar general go to Middleburg instead of Schoharie? Why Hannaford didn’t come to Schoharie?  Why the New Holland tractor store moved out of the village of Schoharie? My short answer is, the Land Use Law, which was recently struck down by the Courts, was too restrictive on building designs.  None of those buildings would have fit our design standards.  It has been 10 years since the old law was put into place and a lot has changed.  As the Town Board is currently working to adopt a new Land Use Law, it is the perfect time to incorporate the changes that our residents desire.

Some residents have stated that they were concerned that the changes we were making are incompatible with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.  As the Town Board went over the Comprehensive Plan I voiced some concerns I had with the Plan, specifically the design guideline examples that are appended to the Plan as of Appendix A.  However, the consultants which the Town has hired to assist with the Plan’s review explained the “examples” included in Appendix A are not binding and the Comprehensive Plan acknowledged that appropriate design guidelines may be developed over time. We must remember it is just a map to guide our decisions and not the direct road that we must follow.

I listened to the majority of our Town residents before I made my decision to suggest the changes in the Land Use Law, not just one person or one opinion

Sincerely,

James  Schultz

Town Councilamn     

Town of Schoharie

Gibson Meets with Constituents in Work Week Period

While Congress was in recess for Easter and Passover, Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19) met with constituents and participated in public events in each of the 19^th Congressional District’s 11 counties.

“Visiting each of the 11 counties in my Congressional district and meeting with hundreds of constituents allowed me the firsthand opportunity to hear how we can be helpful,” said Congressman Gibson. “These conversations help shape our legislative priorities in Washington and give me a clear picture of how things are going for our farms, small businesses, and the scores of local organizations that support and celebrate community life in Upstate New York.”

Congressman Gibson’s schedule included meetings with the Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s associations, students and teachers in Hudson, the director of the New York State Broadband Program, former Navy Seabees, Lyme disease advocates, and members of the Catskill Association for Tourism Services, among other groups.

Families and teachers continued to speak out about standardized testing.

“Constituents oppose Common Core and this week as standardized testing begins in New York, many parents across my district are opting students out of these tests.  They are also looking to Washington and Albany for leadership that brings about change and empowers local parents, teachers, and administrators,” said Congressman Gibson. “We are listening and taking action. We continue to push our bill rolling back federal testing requirements while working with state leaders to roll back Common Core.

“Similarly, we continue to lead on the constituent-driven issue of Lyme disease,” said Congressman Gibson. “We’re working to include our Lyme bill HR 789 in a broader legislative package, if possible, and we’re making progress on companion legislation in the Senate. Our goals also include a robust infrastructure bill, more funding for rural broadband, lowering energy costs, making our small businesses more competitive, and helping veterans through our Agent Orange bill, which now has over 200 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House and a companion bill in the Senate.

“Finally, my chief commitment is to keeping us safe and protecting our cherished way of life,” said Congressman Gibson. “Later this month, I will join my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee as we mark up the annual defense authorization bill, setting military policy for the year.”

       

The 19^th District is larger than the state of Connecticut, encompassing all or parts of the following counties: Rensselaer, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Ulster, Sullivan, Delaware, Broome, Otsego, Schoharie, and Montgomery.

Maple Festival Ready for 50th Anniversary

COBLESKILL, N.Y. -- The sap is gathered. The boiling is done.

Now it’s time to taste and experience the tradition of Schoharie County’s first and sweetest crop, maple syrup.

2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the county’s Maple Festival that takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

This year’s 50th anniversary has invited all the Maple Royalty -- individuals who have represented the Schoharie County Maple producers as the Maple Queen or King or Princess or Prince -- to be part of the festivities when new royalty is crowned at 2 p.m. Many are expected to be in attendance.

Another highlight is the Maple Festival Parade. Everyone is invited to participate and the lineup starts at 11 a.m. on Cobleskill’s Legion Drive and goes through the town on its way to the fairgrounds. At the Fairgrounds, the characters from Disney’s “Frozen” will meet and greet guests after they march in the parade.

Throughout the day, the festival features entertainment including the Irish dance of the Iona Dance Troupe, Studio North Dance Company of Sharon Springs, the music of Matt Evans and the acting of the Theater Project of Schoharie County that will present Cirque de Silly.

At Schoharie County’s Maple Festival visitors can eat jackwax -- a chewy confection that results when boiled maple syrup is poured over crushed ice. There’s an all day maple breakfast, along with maple candies, maple demonstrations, crafts and lots of food including a chicken barbecue.

Earlier in the day -- from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. -- baked goods are accepted at the fairgrounds for the annual baking contest. There are two divisions -- Adult (ages 14 and up) and Junior (ages 13 years and younger). And there are three categories:  cupcakes, cakes and muffins; cookies bars and scones; and pies and cheesecakes. Of course, all entries must be made with real maple syrup.

Schoharie County’s Maple Festival has its roots in the county’s Village of Jefferson where it began on the village green. The green was established in 1817 and had 120 maple trees around it. Jefferson is home to The Maple Museum, a classic Greek Revival building completed in 1837, that was renamed in the 1960s in recognition of the town’s maple sugaring industry and its Maple Festival.

The 2015 Schoharie County Maple Festival is sponsored by Cobleskill Stone Products, Kintz Plastics Inc., Stewart's Shops, Sterling Insurance Co. and many other local sponsors.

Constitution Pipeline Seeks Permits in Mburgh

The Middleburgh Town Council has no interest in entertaining representatives of the proposed Kinder-Morgan pipeline, but at the same time it has no choice but to deal with Constitution Pipeline as they move forward in their project. 

Town Highway Superintendent Dale Nunamann informed Town Councilpersons on Thursday evening that Constitution Pipeline is seeking two driveway permits to access acquired easements off of Keyser Road in the municipality.  

Originally slated to cut through Keyser Road to place the pipe, Mr. Nunamann reported that the natural gas company is going to instead bore underneath the road so that the pipe can just be slid in without disturbing the surface. 

Having received the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's blessing in December, Constitution Pipeline has been busy obtaining the necessary easements and permits to move forward with its controversial 124-mile pipeline.

On a related note, representatives of Kinder-Morgan reached out to Town of Middleburgh officials about potentially meeting to discuss town projects the energy giant may be able to assist the municipality with in the future. 

Uninterested in their assistance, Middleburgh council-members voted unanimously to not meet with any representatives of Kinder-Morgan. The motion was made by Councilman Frank Herodes and approved 4-0.

In other business, town council members:

• Voted unanimously to move up the monthly May town board meeting from Thursday, May 14th to Thursday, May 7th in order to avoid conflict with the 2015 Lincoln Day Dinner.
• Referred three potential Joint Town and Village Planning Board appointees to Planning Board Chairman Steve Coonradt for the board's recommendation in filling a vacancy. The three interested applicants are Joe Conneely, John Diaz, and Betty Wayman. 
• Heard from Town Highway Superintendent Dale Nunamann that the highway department is planning to "go over top of what we got" and resurface town roads this summer to stay ahead of road deterioration. 

Letter to the Editor: We Must Resist Additional Pipelines

Dear Editor,

Once again the residents of Schoharie County are facing the possibility of another pipeline (Tennessee Gas) while the struggle continues to stop Constitution.  It is certainly time to recognize that not only are we being exploited, we are being abused as well.  If big energy was to have its way Schoharie County will become a corridor for pipelines and compressor stations.  While there has been some resistance to any more pipelines running through our county by some of the members of the County Board of Supervisors, it is time for a united front by all members to send a clear message to our representatives at the next levels of government as well as big energy. That we will resist all scheduled plans currently drafted to construct additional pipelines through our county.

The residents of Schoharie County are and will continue to be victimized by devaluation of properties, detrimental set back standards, scars on our landscape and eminent domain procedures placed against landowners not willing to sign easement agreements.  Our residents will continue to suffer the environmental impacts as well, caused by the very presence of any given pipeline and compressor station emissions all for the purpose of exporting natural gas.

While portions of our county continue to recover from flood devastation, the county continues to lose populace, creating hardships not only for business but an increase tax burden for those of us who remain.  We must recognize that the loss of populace is caused by the lack of economic development, flooding events, taxation and even the lack of additional skilled nursing facilities.  All made much worse by one pipeline after another eating away at the beauty and safety of our rural environment and at the ability of landowners to truly own and control what’s on their property.  While major specific issues are causing exodus, those same issues are serving as a deterrent for an influx of new residents.  While many of our upstate communities are suffering lack of growth, Schoharie County has a unique set of circumstances that must be dealt with.

I believe that collectively we must resist any additional pipelines.  Elected officials must stand up and be counted on this issue for we are duty bound to protect the health and safety of those we represent as well as stopping the long arm of government that is all too willing to reach out and take what individual homeowners have worked for their entire lives.

Gene Milone

Town of Schoharie Supervisor

SUNY Cobleskill Welcomes Newborn Colt

SUNY Cobleskill's Equestrian program welcomed its third and final addition on Wednesday evening with the birth of a colt named Tadpole. 

Following the births of Epona, a filly named for a Zelda character, and Flash, another colt who was born in record time, Tadpole is the last of the expected newborn horses this foal season. 

Sleeping quietly with his proud broodmare standing nearby, Tadpole was in a particularly non-photogenic mood, but considering his recent ordeal, we'll let him slide. 

NYPA Textile Day & Quilt Show Seeking Vendors

Joining forces to coordinate with the New York Power Authority's Lansing Manor Annual Quilt Show on Saturday, June 6th, the Jefferson Historical Society is seeking vendors to display their products at the event.

Featuring speakers Rabbit Goody and Dr. Jacquie Atkins, who will give presentations and appraise textiles brought in by the public, fiber and textile artisans are welcome to sell their products and demonstrate their craft.

Tent, tables and chairs, electricity, bathroom facilities will all be provided by the New York Power Authority.  The Jefferson Historical Society will have food to purchase.  Vendor fee is $10, payable to The Jefferson Historical Society. 

 For more information contact Barb Palmer (607) 652-2156 or Carol Bodnar (607) 652-2107.

Flood Warning Issued for Schoharie Creek

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Flood Warning for the Schoharie Creek at the Gilboa Dam from this evening until late Sunday night. 

Creek levels are scheduled to reach the temporary flood stage of approximately 1,130.5 feet by 9:00 p.m. this evening, with no decrease expected in stage until after 8:00 p.m. on Sunday evening.

Although the Schoharie Reservoir is forecast to slightly exceed the temporary flood stage, outflows are only expected to reach approximately 2,500 cfs due to current reservoir operations. 

As a result of the outflows, there will be a significant within bank rise on the Schoharie Creek downstream of the Gilboa Dam, but not enough to cause any creek-side flooding.

WNYT-Channel 13 Albany is calling for a bright and sunny forecast this weekend, with no additional precipitation expected to enter the Capital District while the Flood Warning is in effect. 

Stay tuned to local news updates for further updates.

Opinion: Schoharie's Albatross

Our view from the third floor of The Schoharie News office in Schoharie is unmatched, for we possess a commanding vantage point to observe all the historic village has to offer. 

To our right we can see the Daughters of the American Revolution Hall, the Heritage House, and the beginning of the municipality's residencies. In front of us resides the county building, courthouse, and the daily coming and going of hundreds of people. 

Looking left, we encounter both Schoharie's finest and most disappointing displays. On the finest spectrum rests the village's business district, which has grown at a impressive rate since the floods of Irene subsided in August 2011. It's truly inspiring to see as storefront after storefront has become occupied.

However, also looking to the left, we can't help but see what stands as the albatross of Schoharie: the Parrot House, which for one reason or another, has remained vacant for years and as such has stood out like a sore thumb in a beauty contest on Main Street. 

We understand the reasons behind its current closure: expensive repairs, health violations, and a series of less than savory operators. The Parrot House is old and it requires more than just a little tender loving care to bring it back to glory. (probably to the tune of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars). 

But bring it back to glory, we must. 

More than just a bar and restaurant, the Parrot House offered curious visitors to the Schoharie Valley a historic lodging to rest their spurs at, fine food to wet their appetites with, and a starting point for which they could experience all we have to offer. 

Much like Guilford Mills did in Cobleskill, the Parrot House poses daunting challenges to the future of Schoharie, because in its current state the building is a neutral object that, although unused, isn't causing a net loss to the village, but fully operational it would be nothing short of beneficial to its revitalization.

The first step to solving any problem is to admit that a problem exists in the first place, which I hope we all know by this point. Our question is: how do we get to step two and start addressing Schoharie's albatross in a productive and successful manner? 

That - we are not pleased to admit - but we don't even know where to begin. What we do know is going back to our commanding view of the village, that we reside somewhere special with a lot of potential, which when put together, will restore Schoharie back to being the jewel of the Valley. 

4-H Dog Obedience Course

4-H is hosting a dog obedience course for youth ages nine and up who want to learn how to train their dogs and compete in the dog obedience class at the Schoharie County Sunshine Fair.  This nine week program teaches youth responsibility, communication, patience, and sportsmanship, while training dogs to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. 

Classes will be held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. at the Sunshine Fairgrounds, May 6 through June 24.  An orientation class will be held on Wednesday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Extension Center in Cobleskill.  Please leave your dog at home for the orientation meeting but bring proof of rabies vaccination. 

The cost of the course is $55.  Participating dogs must be at least six months of age. For more information or to register, call Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie and Otsego Counties at (518) 234-4303, 296-8310 or e-mail schoharie@cornell.edu.  For more information you may visit their official website here.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

MCS Graduate Escorts U.S. Ambassador to Britain

Middleburgh Central School graduate Cherie Federico has been invited by the York City Council to escort United States Ambassador Matthew Barzun and his secret service escort around York, a historic city located in northern England. 

The former American ambassador to Sweden, Mr. Barzun is an internet pioneer and graduate of Harvard University. Ms. Federico is the owner of Aesthetica, a British art and culture magazine with over 180,000 readers in England. 

Federice graduated from MCS in 1997.

State Police Nab Two Motorists for Pot Possession

State Police stationed in Cobleskill have announced the arrest of two men that were stopped for automotive infractions and were subsequently founded to be in the Unlawful Possession of Marihuana:

• State Police out of Cobleskill arrested a Schoharie man for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana following a traffic stop in the Town of Cobleskill on April 7, 2015.Aundre B. Ellison was stopped for a traffic violation, during the interview Troopers determined that he was in possession of a small amount of marihuana.  Ellison was issued an Appearance Ticket to appear in the Town of Cobleskill Court on Tuesday April 21, 2015. 
• State Police in Cobleskill arrested a Massachusetts man for Unlawful Possession of Marihuana following a traffic stop on Interstate 88 in the Town of Cobleskill.Aaron L Chernin age 21 of Acton Massachusetts was stopped for a speeding violation on I-88 in the Town of Cobleskill, during the interview Troopers determined that he was in possession of approximately 4 grams of Marihuana.  Chernin was issued an Appearance Ticket for the Marihuana arrest and a speeding ticket for the traffic violation returnable to Cobleskill Town Court on April 20, 2015 at 4:00pm.

 

DEP Investigating Oily Sheen in Schoharie Reservoir

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is investigating the cause of an oily sheen that was discovered in the Schoharie Reservoir on Monday afternoon. 

According to a press release issued this morning, the sheen was located several hundred feet down shore from the intake, but was successfully prevented from leaving the reservoir by water safety operators shutting down the intake chamber and installing an absorbent boom around the intake structure. 

A Watershed Post story on the oily spill quoted DEP spokesman Adam Bosch as saying the sheen was approximately fifty feet wide and about nine hundred feet long. 

As of Tuesday morning the sheen had dissipated and was no longer visible in the Schoharie Reservoir, which stores up to 19.6 billion gallons of water that is collected from a 314-mile watershed and diverted to New York City through a series of tunnels, creeks, and reservoirs. 

Although the official cause is still unknown, Hurricane Irene is at least partially responsible: "A preliminary investigation found that the sheen was likely coming from a previously undiscovered tank that was washed into Schoharie Reservoir in 2011 by Hurricane Irene."

Blaming shifting ice and low water levels for dislodging the tank, DEP officials will continue to monitor the Reservoir for additional sheens, as well as develop plans to remove the tank once the ice melts and and its location is pinpointed. 

Devlin Elected to Fourth Term as Mburgh Fire Chief

Middleburgh firefighters organized Tuesday night, electing officers to oversee the municipal fire department's daily operations over the next year. 

Chief Michael Devlin, who has been involved with the department for over twenty-seven years, was elected to his fourth term as operations chief. Joining him as Assistant Chief is his brother, Brian Devlin. 

Other elected officers include: Jerry Wayman as 1st Assistant Chief; Jason Marsh as 2nd Assistant Chief; Jason Diamond as Captain; and, John Shaw Jr. as the Administrative President of the department. 

In addition to serving the Village of Middleburgh, the Middleburgh Fire Department is contracted by the Town of Middleburgh and the Town of Fulton to provide fire coverage. 

Cobleskill Police Blotter (4/8/2015)

The Cobleskill Police Department has announced several arrests that occurred from March 29-April 5 in the Village of Cobleskill.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

At 9:20 a.m. Cobleskill Police arrested Tiffany K. Cook, 26, of Central Bridge, NY, for Grand Larceny 4th and Falsifying Business Records 1st.  She was released and is to appear in Cobleskill Town Court on April 28th at 5:00 p.m.

Friday, April 3, 2015

At 8:59 p.m. Cobleskill Police arrested Andrew Delvalle, 23, of Cobleskill, NY, for Driving While Ability Impaired.  He was released and is to appear in Cobleskill Town Court on May 5th at 5:00 p.m. 

Sunday, April 5, 2015

At 10:18 p.m. Cobleskill Police arrested Amanda J. Sword, 29, of Schenectady, NY, for Petit Larceny.  She was issued an appearance ticket and released.  She is to return to Cobleskill Town Court on April 14th at 5:00 p.m.

Early Technology Day at the Iroquois Museum

The public is invited to the annual Early Technology Day at the Iroquois Indian Museum on Saturday, April 18th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join the Museum for Flint Knapping demonstrations and workshops, fire by friction demonstrations, atl-atl shoot and other demonstrations of early technology.

In addition to on-site demonstrations of the flint knapping process, which is the ancient art of making chipped stone tools, visitors are encouraged to bring their artifacts for comparison and identification to the museum's extensive collection of point-type artifacts. 

This year's theme is to replicate adena points using a rather unique chert type to our area called Oriskany. It has a grainy but glassy texture, best worked with mostly percussion. There will be many examples of points, replica tools, and local archaeological displays.

A schedule of the day's events will be posted during the event and will include Knapping demonstrations throughout the day, workshops at cycled time slops for adults and youth nine years and up, atl-atl throwing at posted time slots, and other demonstrations of early technology.

For more information, please call the Iroquois Indian Museum at 518-296-8949 or visit their website at www.iroquoismuseum.org.

Letter to the Editor: Lopez - Too Little, Too Late on Pipelines

Dear Editor,

Shortly after Cabot &Williams announced that they intended to build a high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline through the forests, farms, wetlands, streams and backyards of Schoharie County Assemblyman Pete Lopez held a press conference, not to oppose the pipeline, but to suggest it run along the I-88 right of way. Everyone who had any understating of interstate pipelines knew that such a route was not on the table and never would be. We all knew that Constitution would never agree and that the NY State Department of Transportation would never agree. We also saw Lopez’ proposal for what it was – a phony attempt to pretend he cared about the landowners who would be impacted by the pipeline by suggesting a route that could never happen but to which he could point as his big effort on behalf of his constituents.

For the next several years, an unprecedented political and legal fight ensured to stop the pipeline. Many of Mr. Lopez’ constituents were pressured, bullied, intimidated and eventually had their property condemned by Constitution. Mr. Lopez remained silent, unwilling to defend the voters who put him in office as they endured an emotional and economic assault by an out-of-control gas industry. As to why Mr. Lopez failed to respond there are two primary reasons: First his political and philosophical affinity for big oil & gas (witnessed by his condescending and insulting comments during the protracted fracking debate) and second is his special affinity for Constitution Pipeline, whose chief lobbyist and spokesperson John Faso has a long political kinship with Mr. Lopez.

Fast forward to a second pipeline proposal and Mr. Lopez has broken his vow of silence and has announced his opposition to the NED pipeline. We should be grateful, right? Maybe, if we didn’t once again see it for what it is - a calculated and transparent political move motivated not by a concern for the residents facing the unimaginable intrusion of a second forced pipeline easement through their properties but rather a simple expression of his loyalty to Constitution Pipeline. The second pipeline is in direct competition to Constitution.

Mr. Lopez is not opposing the NED, he is working to help Constitution as they play a high-stakes corporate game of chicken with a competitor, while landowners twist in the wind.  

Mr. Lopez can deny this as his motivation and probably will. I invite him to prove me wrong by opposing not just the NED but also the Constitution Pipeline which has already violated the private property rights of his constituents and which is poised to do irreparable harm to the land Mr. Lopez claims to steward.  I further invite Mr. Lopez to turn over a new leaf and be less of a shallow politician with blatant allegiances to big oil and gas and his political allies in the industry and more of a leader who is willing to stand up for those he represents. If Mr. Lopez can’t muster the fortitude to do that, he won’t be unopposed the next time he runs.  

Bob Nied

Village of Middleburgh Adopts Budget, Organizes for Fiscal Year

Organizing for the coming fiscal year, members of the Village of Middleburgh Board of Trustees voted to adopt the municipality's proposed approximately $800,000 2015-16 budget that is set to raise taxes by a single percent, or five dollars per house. 

Informing Trustees that the proposal was "significantly under the tax cap," Mayor Matthew Avitabile said that expenditures had increased because the village is putting aside money for a matching grant fund and towards the purchase of a new firetruck. 

Additionally, a two percent wage increase was approved for all village employees, except for members of the village board. Addressing the tax increase, Avitabile stated that the village had kept "everything at 1% total over the last four years." 

Relative to the rate of tax increases under former Mayor William Ansel-McCabe, who was unseated by then Village Trustee Avitabile in March 2012, village taxpayers have saved almost two hundred dollars each since then.

Further organizing the municipality for the 2015-16 fiscal year, village board members voted to name Shawn Smith as new Village Attorney; Trustee Bill Morton as Commissioner of Parks; and Trustee Bob Tinker as Commissioner of the Cemetery. 

The village also named the Times Journal and The Schoharie News as the municipality's official newspapers.

In other business, village board members:

• Heard from Middleburgh Area Business Association representatives Linda Quinn and Bob Stevenot that the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce is offering a matching program for businesses and municipalities interested in producing television commercials for the coming tourism year.
• Heard from Middleburgh Village Highway Superintendent Dale Nunamann that highway crews will begin picking up leaves on Monday, April 13th through November on Friday's, and that clean up of the Village Cemetery will start on Wednesday, April 22nd and last three-four days. 
• Voted to approve several Heritage Trail projects funded by a New York State Council for the Arts grant totaling $15,200. Among the approved projects is the placement of several historical plaques, expansion of the Timothy Murphy Park, and $2,500 for the Dr. Best House and local Library.
• Voted to approve the expenditure of $400 toward the creation of an advertisement promoting village businesses and events as part of the Chamber of Commerce's matching program. 

Lopez Announces Opposition to Kinder-Morgan Pipeline

With the proposed Constitution Pipeline closer to securing final approval, after having received the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's blessing in December, there have been fears that additional pipeline companies are eyeing a similar path through New York.

Fears that were confirmed when Kinder-Morgan Company, which owns Tennessee Gas, announced its North East Direct Project to help meet increased demand for energy. Kinder-Morgan's proposed pipeline mirrors that of Constitution's natural gas route from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania to the Schoharie County township of Wright.

Activists and public officials long opposed to Constitution have balked at the placement of another pipeline through Upstate New York's rural communities, with the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors signaling its opposition to the North East Direct Project's construction in a resolution passed last fall. 

Opposition that gained the support of State Assemblyman Peter Lopez (R-Schoharie) on Monday afternoon. 

Stating that "The proposal being advanced by Kinder-Morgan suffers from poor timing and even poorer judgment," Assemblyman Lopez believes the company is at best simply insensitive to the existing concerns of municipalities divided over Constitution, or at worst is trying to "simply roll over our small rural communities."

The Assemblyman's comments came on the eve of a series of public outreach sessions coordinated by Kinder-Morgan along the proposed North East Direct Project's route; the first of which was hosted last evening in Schoharie. 

Pleased that Lopez has "changed his mind about pipelines because we as a county really can't have a huge impact without the assistance of higher elected officials," Blenheim Town Supervisor Shawn Smith is hopeful that the state representative "actually follows through and teams up with the county on the issue." 

Kinder-Morgan has seven additional public outreach sessions scheduled over the next nine days, with one slated to take place at the Radez Elementary School in Richmondville on Tuesday, April 14th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. 

Concerned with the apparent gross duplication of the route already approved by FERC officials, Assemblyman Lopez concluded: "Our region has been exhausted by floods, the recession, and the existing controversy surrounding the recently federally approved Constitution Pipeline. We do not need any further disruptions. The residents and business owners have been through enough.  The region needs to move forward, heal, and rebuild. I do not support the Kinder-Morgan/Tennessee Gas Proposal."