Out Lexington Way

By Christine Dwon

Deepest sympathy to wife Sharon Becker, all the family and friends of Mike Becker who passed away last week.

Pastor Amy Royal led the Sunrise Service on Easter morning in the Lexington Cemetery.  Wonderful attendance and over 30 people for the breakfast at the Lexington/West Kill UMC.  At 9 a.m., Pastor Amy led worship service in the church sanctuary.  

Saturday, April 6, from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be an All You Can Eat Breakfast to benefit “Greene County EMS Week” at the Ashland Town Hall, 12094 State Route 23, Ashland.  All you can eat for $12, $6 for children ages 5 – 12 and free under 5.  There will be a 50/50 raffle and delivery available within a 10 mile radius.  Call 518-734-3636 to place your order.  Menu includes eggs cooked to order, bacon, sausage, pancakes, potatoes, toast, juice, coffee, breakfast sandwiches.  Eat in or take out.  You can also take a tour of the new Mountain Top Ambulances, stretcher demo, equipment demo, check out the Greene County EMS Fly car and free blood pressure screening.  Call Diane Cross if you have questions at 518-734-3636.

Happy birthday to Diane Strausser on Sunday, April 7.

April 7 is also Carisa Benjamin’s birthday.

Elizabeth Dymond’s birthday is Tuesday, April 9.

Happy birthday on Wednesday, April 10 to Janice Mellott.

Also celebrating a birthday on April 10 is Joan Mead.

Thursday, April 11 is Samantha (Simpfenderfer) Clark’s birthday.

Best wishes to everyone.

Sundays starting April 7 at 9 a.m., there will be “Informal Breakfast Church” in the dining hall at the Lexington-West Kill UMC, 54 County Route 13A, Lexington.  There will be light breakfast, worship service and fellowship.  All are welcomed.

Tuesday, April 9 the Town of Lexington Fire/Rescue Company Ladies Auxiliary will resume monthly meetings at 7 p.m. in the Firemen’s room.

The second Tuesday of each month (April 9) is a Coffee Klatch with light refreshments in the Hunter Public Library, 7965 Main Street, Hunter.  On April 9, starting at 10:30 a.m., Judi Ryan, a Clinical Herbalist, Traditional Naturopath and Iridologist will have a presentation on Lyme Disease at the library.

Tuesday, April 9 is also the Soup and Fellowship Kitchen from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Blue Room at the Kaaterskill UMC, 5942 Main Street, Tannersville.  Come for a free bowl of soup, sandwich and fellowship.  The Soup and Fellowship Kitchen is held the second Tuesday and Thursday of each month.

The Administrative Council meeting for the Lexington/West Kill UMC has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 10 at 4 p.m. in the church hall.

Be sure to come over to the Community Hall, 141 Spruceton Road, West Kill on Sunday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the Annual Maple Brunch.  You don’t want to miss this fabulous brunch.  Eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, pancakes, savory dishes, and of course the sweet treats.  Cost is $15 per person, children under 5 are free.

Potluck Dinner Church will be Friday, April 19 at the Ashland Community UMC, 1216 State Highway 23, Ashland at 6 p.m.  Program will be discussing the Sistine Chapel ceiling images from the Bible.  All invited.

The Annual Patriots’ Day will be held on Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. in the Community Hall in West Kill.  There will be a presentation on “The Fenwick Lumber Company in the Northern Catskills Edgewood-Almost Forgotten” by author Elaine Warfield.  Part of the history includes Spruceton Valley  where there was a camp at the head of Spruceton tram road.  There will be a 50/50 raffle, door prize and light refreshments.  Books will be available for purchase.

The Greene County Department of Human Services Senior Nutrition Program menu for the week of April 8 – April 12 is as follows:  Monday—Macaroni and cheese, three-bean salad, stewed tomatoes, fruit cocktail; Tuesday—Chicken Divan, Tuscan vegetables, white rice, pears; Wednesday—Vegetable lasagna with white sauce, Italian mixed vegetables, yogurt; Thursday—Beef stew, broccoli, chocolate mousse with whipped topping; Friday—Meatball sub, Monaco vegetable mix, pasta salad, fresh fruit.  The menu will be the meal that is delivered to all Greene County homebound meal clients.  If you have food allergy, please notify us.  Allergen information is available for prepared food items.  All persons, over the age of 60, can receive a meal.  Suggested donation for each meal is $4.  Those wishing to receive a meal must notify the respective location by noon, a day in advance.  The number to call for the Senior Service Center at the Jewett Municipal Building, Route 23C, Jewett is 518-263-4392.

Thank you to all law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, healthcare providers, volunteers, farmers, truck drivers and so many more.

Prayers for all who are dealing with loss, illnesses, healing, difficulties, our country, our military and their families, the world.

Until next week take care, be thankful, be respectful, be safe and please be kind to one another.  Your act of kindness may change someone’s life.

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LEGISLATURE STUFF - Perfect Time for Pilings

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - Not this summer but next, there is very likely to be a new Justice Center wing on the Greene County courthouse as crews are wasting no time setting the groundwork.

 Greene County Legislature members, along with project engineers and architects, held their initial Construction Team meeting, last week.

Future sitdowns will be held regularly, similar to what was done four years ago when a new county jail and sheriff’s headquarters were created.

Those gatherings will take place at the Carriage House, an historic building adjacent to the courthouse, preserved when the old jail was torn down.

A not-deeply-frozen winter is allowing pilings to be dug for what will be a 3-story structure including two floors for personnel from the county's District Attorney and Public Defender departments, each needing more room.

There will also be lower level, court-personnel parking, an aerial walkway between the old and new facilities and space for the NY State Office of Court Administration, helping pay for some of the $28.8 million job.

Lawmakers, last November, accepted four separate construction bids and approved up to $25 million in serial bonds to finance the effort.

That bottom line turned out to be an illusion, increasing a month later when officials were told an additional $3.8 million would be needed to cover the cost of bolstering the foundation, situated at the base of a steep hill.

County administrator Shaun Groden emphasized no extra borrowing would be required to make up the difference, instead tapping Reserve Funds.

But it was more money no matter how it was being divvied up. A handful of lawmakers were displeased the issue surrounding the 38-foot dropoff had not been recognized prior to putting the project out to bid.

Questions were asked and there was some talk of stalling or maybe killing the project, leading to a special executive session where heated verbal exchanges were made between lawmakers and other county officials.

Controversy had also emerged over the bids being placed on the agenda for possible passage at a Public Safety committee meeting, then being summarily withdrawn by committee chairperson Thomas Hobart.

The withdrawals were later ruled to have been done without adhering to due process, bypassing other Public Safety committee members.

They were put back on the agenda and the four construction bids were accepted by a 9 to 5 vote, although the political dust has not settled.

A different sort of dust is in the air behind the courthouse, located on Main Street in Catskill, where another matter has already surfaced.

The more accurate term might be unearthed. While engineers were aware of the presence of old sewer and stormwater pipes, they proved to be elusively buried and enlarged.

“We always knew the lines would have to be moved,” county administrator Shaun Groden said in a phone interview, noting they are currently combined, servicing the village of Catskill.

“What we didn’t know is they were deeper and bigger than we thought. We through they were 12-inch pipe. They are 24-inch. The reality is there is little to no paperwork after one-hundred years and more.

“There are no as-builts around for a system built in the 1800-somethings. It won’t be a problem but there were a lot of discussions today [at the construction meeting] about angles and pitches and whatnot.

“We also talked about parking,” Groden said, explaining that available public parking in a lot across Main Street from the courthouse will be greatly reduced, changing over to a construction staging area.

“It’s something we knew would have to happen. At the end of the day this is a construction zone now,” Groden said, noting the county’s Construction Team/Task Force will huddle every two weeks.

“We’re happy winter is over with its delays and happy to get going. By next winter, we expect to be totally inside, not having to worry about temporary heat to continue the work,” Groden said.

The present plans call for laying sidewalks and blacktop in June of 2025, according to legislature chairman Patrick Linger, who had a piece of welcome dollars and cents information.

Negotiations with the Office of Court Administration have resulted in the State “changing they way they are financing their part,” Linger said.

The county had asked for a significant increase in the State’s annual lease payments, coming away with less but ending up with more.

“They initially agreed to a higher dollar amount for rent but then said they didn’t want to be locked in for that amount,” Linger said.

Instead, the State will pay $5 million up front with a $140,000 yearly lease, reaping $9.5 million over the life of the county’s 30-year payback period.

“In the long run, we end up with more money than if we had stuck with the higher rent total and the $5 million is that much less we have to bond,” Linger said, noting the overall debt won’t add pain to taxpayers.

County officials say the fresh debt merely replaces an already existing loan that is expiring. While it is still money going out, the impact will not be felt directly within upcoming budget cycles.

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - A Kind of Hush

By Michael Ryan

WINDHAM - It isn’t what Herman’s Hermits had in mind when they sang their hit song in the late 1960’s but this story has to start somewhere.

People who are older than dirt might remember the Hermits singing “there’s a kind of hush all over the world,” meaning lovers falling in love.

A similar but less romantic silence has fallen over the town of Windham and whatever is unfolding at the Windham Mountain Club.

The ski center and its new majority ownership group, last summer, unveiled a housing and recreational Master Plan that sent shivers through the community and beyond.

It outlined the construction of 60 or so townhouses on land that, until then, had been used for visiting skier parking lots, leaving deep doubts and confusion about where those thousands of skiers would park.

A media “rollout,” describing an out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new Era at WMC, rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, putting an emphasis on $175,000 memberships and vastly reduced lift lines.

The way things were presented created uncertainty about who would pay $175 G’s to join the WMC and maybe buy the townhouses, whether they would go out or stay home once the skiing was done.

And it wasn’t clear what would happen with the crowds of skiers who stood in those long lift lines and spent their tourist money at local hotels and restaurants. Would they be obliged to go elsewhere?

WMC president Chip Seamans offered reassurances it would all be good for local businesses - and therefore everybody - and people wanted to believe and embrace the Master Plan.

But worries lingered about initial WMC plans to add an onsite hotel, a mid-slope restaurant and a shooting range that would probably be heard from one end of Windham to the other.

Anyway, the WMC has to go through the local planning board for site plan review and permits on their project, the same as anybody else, which is why and where the kind of hush has emerged.

A big, important planning board meeting happened this past December 21, attended by Seamans along with engineers and attorneys working on the Master Plan, looking to move forward as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the planning board retained its own engineer and lawyer to assist in oversight and legalese, not an unusual circumstance.

There was a lot of discussion about what information the WMC needed to provide to the planning board and when they needed to provide it.

That all leads to a required State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) determination being made by the planning board, a decision holding potentially monumental obstacles and hurdles for the WMC.

In simplest terms, a Negative Declaration (Neg Dec) means the project can proceed relatively quickly, having no negative impacts on the community. 

On the other hand, a Positive Declaration means there could be significant impacts on the community in terms of groundwater, flooding, consistency with community plans, consistency with community character, etc.

There is a lot of stake in terms of time and money and it is safe to say that engineers and lawyers for the WMC and the planning board had very different views on what info needed to be provided and when.

Seamans, while noting that plans for the onsite hotel were on hold, said many ideas being announced by WMC to prospective buyers of the $175,000 memberships were “not far along enough yet for review.”

He suggested the townhouse lands, shooting range and other everyday improvements being made onsite and in-house were “separate” items.

The lawyer and engineer for the planning board were equally adamant that all Master Plan elements must be put on the table before proper SEQR decisions can be made or any ground-breaking occurs.

Kevin Young, the lawyer retained by the planning board said, “SEQR doesn’t apply to the mountain. It applies to the planning board and therefore the town of Windham.

“The local planning board must determine what is or is not part of the Master Plan,” Young said.

“We would need to know what is happening within the whole of the Master Plan for the public good,” Young said, not have it presented segmentally.

A lengthy memo was delivered by the planning board engineer, Delaware Engineering, to the planning board and Windham Mountain Club at that December 21 meeting.

The memo stated that the planning board “is not in receipt of all information it may reasonably need to make the determination of [negative or positive environmental] significance.

“We recommend that the planning board provide [Windham Mountain Club] time to provide said information, and consider issuing a determination of significance at your January 18 [2024] meeting,” the memo stated.

While no one was formally showing their cards, a preliminary SEQR report was also listed on the town website at that time, for public perusal.

Virtually every box was checked “yes”… that the ski slope Master Plan would be having a significant impact in multiple ways that would necessitate extensive and expensive review.

A hush has fallen over things since the December 21 meeting. The hearsay is that private conversations are ongoing, trying to find middle ground before officially heading back to the planning board.

That is not uncommon either but finding common ground between selling $175,000 WMC memberships and filling town restaurants and hotels is nothing -for now - like the sound of lovers falling in love.

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A 97-YEAR-OLD HAINES FALLS FIRE AWAKENED MEMORIES – Stamford paper-August 1927-Deer Park

It told about a night-time fire in Haines Falls that destroyed the barn on the Deer Park property which had cost $10,000 to build (almost $30,000 today). It said the property was purchased about 1905 from the owner, Dr. Simon Zweighaft, a famous physician from Philadelphia, by Princess Elizabeth Lwoff-Parlaghy, a Hungarian artist and painter of note and protégé of Kaiser Wilhelm and other royalty. 

The writer said that years ago carriages would pass by Deer Park and be in awe when viewing the fountains of pink-lined shells on each side of the entrance on the manicured property. They would see Dr. Zweighaf’s deer, imported from the mid-west, and Europe, and make inquiries about the owners. Visitors loved seeing the deer through the 10-foot-high fencing adjacent to the Mountain House Road. (It was often written that much of the mountaintop’s wildlife had been chased out of the area during the tannery days). 

In 1887 Dr. Zweighaf built his 17-room Deer Park, after spending 7 or 8 summers at local resorts. Each summer he and his wife, Sophie, would open Deer Park to the locals to enjoy the 3-mile enclosed carriage roads and view the deer. Dr. and Mrs. Zweighaf took pride in their grounds and enjoyed having their neighbors visit two days a week, appreciating the work of their 12 groundskeepers. (Dr. Simon Zweighaf died in 1907 at the age of 66. He died within a year of losing his wife Sophia, and son, Dr. Bernard Zweighaf.

Then came the Princess! The writer said that the property caught the fancy of Princess Lwoff-Parlaghy, an artist who had painted the portraits of many of the world-famous: King Edward of England, King Albert of Belgium, Kaiser Wilhelm, Theodore Roosevelt, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas A. Edison, and many others. The Princess had wealth and enjoyed living at Deer Park for about 15 years. 

The article said she died in destitute circumstances at 109 East 39th Street, with $1,000,000 worth of art, antiques, and other furnishings surrounding her. Friends were barred by the Princess’ wishes until the newspapers made the announcement of her death. She was said to have had a beautiful funeral with full rituals of the Greek Orthodox Church and was intoned by the archpriest wearing his robes of silver cloth. The Princess was buried in her court robes of blue and gold and she wore a crown of silver and her twenty-two royal decorations. She was attended to by only two of her faithful servants, neither of whom had been paid a salary for months. 

Sadly, Deer Park was sold at auction. The fire company thought a tossed cigarette might have caused the fire to the barn and with it the tool, ice, and carriage houses. That was all that had remained of the charming and unique architecture. 

(A little said about the Princess-She has been described as a red-haired, beautiful, eccentric pseudo (fake)-princess portrait painter who arrived in New York in 1908. Her motto was, love me, love my dogs, but a paper said it should have been, “Love me, love my dogs, my cat, my guinea pig, my alligators, my owls, my pelican, my money, my snakes, my bear, my falcons, my wolves, my ibis, and my lion bug.” They all lived with her on the 39th floor of her apartment building.) The Princess is an interesting read. 

Thanks for reading. Stay safe, and Happy Easter.

Dede Terns-Thorpe/Town of Hunter Historian. 

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Windham Arts Alliance Partnering with Circle 46 Gallery

By Michael Ryan

HUDSON - Aside from the works by many mountaintop artists that will be on display, there is an entirely other splendiferous reason to make a trip across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, this weekend.

Windham Arts Alliance is partnering with Circle 46 Gallery in Hudson to present “Artists From Across the River,” an exhibit with “something for everyone,” says Arts Alliance program director Shelia Trautman.

An Opening Reception at 46 Greene Street is happening Saturday, April 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., with the exposition running through May 18.

“The show beautifully displays a diverse sample of art in a variety of mediums and styles that all go beautifully together,” Trautman says.

“There are landscapes, cityscapes, portraits and abstracts.” Trautman says,  utilizing oils, watercolors, gouache, acrylics, photography, lithography, intaglio, linocuts, collage, and woodwork.

Artists include Laura Avello, Athena Billias, Nancy Campbell, Nancy De Flon, William Deane, Patti Ferrara, Marcia Johnson and Peter Keitel.

They are being joined by Laura Kopczak, Joel Kosofsky, Susan Kukle, Michelle Moran, Linda Nicholls and Karen Rhodes.

Similarly crossing the water are Amy Silberkleit, David Slutzky, Carol Slutzky-Tenerowicz, Gail Spindell, Marianne Tully and Sherry Wack.

Trautman’s brush strokes will also be seen, even as she points out that there is plenty more to see on the way to the destination.

Folks in the more elevated regions of Greene County shall have the luxury of experiencing two different Springs, given the fact that the valley is in bloom days before the warmth of spring settles in the hills.

“Take a drive down the mountain; admire the views along the way. As you cross the Hudson River from the west look to your right and behold the Thomas Cole National Historic Site,” Trautman says.

“Then take a minute and look up to the mountaintop on the east and observe, peeking out of the wooded mountainside, the brightly colored Olana, the home of Frederic Church.

“On both sides of the bridge we can appreciate the birth places of American art. The Hudson River School of Painting began on both sides of the river long before the bridge was built.

‘Early in the mid-nineteenth century, the paintings generally depicted the Hudson Valley, the Catskills, the Adirondacks, and White Mountains. 

“Over the years many new art forms have evolved, but this area remains an inspiration to artists,” Trautman says, thanking Circle 46 hosts David Schwing and Tom McGill.

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SVP Quilters Meeting April 9

The Schoharie Valley Piecemakers (SVP) quilt guild will be gathering for their monthly meeting in person on Tuesday, April 9th, from 1 to 3 pm at St. Mark’s Church hall, 326 Main Street, Middleburgh, NY.  The featured program will be “Scrappy Applique” by guest speaker Joan Waidelich from Rensselaer County.  Scrappy Applique is a fun & simple raw-edge appliqué quilting technique developed by internationally-known designer Shannon Brinkley.  Joan is a certified instructor and will talk about the technique and the show examples of the creative possibilities.  Additionally, the series of embroidery basics by Betty Pillsbury will continue, quilts for charities are due to be turned in, other charity projects reviewed, details of upcoming quilt shows and events discussed, and members will also be showing some of their other quilt projects.   All are welcome.

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MCS' Sloane Named NY State Principal of the Year

STAFF REPORT

MIDDLEBURGH -  Middleburgh Central School High School Matthew Sloane has been selected as the 2024 New York State Secondary School Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS). This award is given annually to a middle or high school principal who has set the pace, character, and quality of education for the students in his or her school. Nominees are administrators who are committed to students, parents, and the community and have shown exceptional contributions to the educational process.

Mr. Sloane will also represent New York State as the NASSP NYS Principal of the Year as sponsored by SAANYS' national affiliate, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). NASSP will select the national principal of the year from all the state finalists.

Among his many accomplishments throughout his career, Mr. Sloane has been instrumental in overhauling the "entire culture of the building" at Middleburgh Jr/Sr High, a change which he says, "has been the most rewarding." He explains that there were "significant social and emotional health issues" when he arrived as principal and he had many conversations with those involved, including students, staff, and community members.

Realizing a change was necessary, he "approached the PEAR (Partnership in Education and Resiliency) Institute, a social and emotional research group, and together we began the work to overhauled the entire culture of the building. We focused on creating an environment of belonging, acceptance and collaboration." He says the "results were immediate. There was a palpable difference in the way students interacted with staff, each other, how they approached their academics and the overall safety of the building."

Mr. Sloane adds that, "As the initiative continued to grow, students began to develop trusting relationships with the school and feel ownership and belonging. We leveraged this trust during the current school year, where we made a unanimous decision to create a distraction free environment free of cell phones and devices." Now, Mr. Sloane says, the students "feel that the school cares about them as individuals and we have seen a shift where students will share their needs with the understanding they will be heard and supported."

Establishing a new culture, "an inclusive and empowering environment within the school and surrounding community" has been integral to Mr. Sloane's work as principal as well as to the students' success. He says that he is "constantly looking at equity through three lenses: academic, economic, and belonging." In addition, he and his team emphasize "the importance of social and emotional well-being." He explains that "By fostering an inclusive and empathetic environment, we addressed the unique challenges faced by students and staff, promoting emotional resilience and enhancing the overall well-being of the school community." Mr. Sloane emphasizes that "It is our goal to make sure every student feels a sense of belonging."

Amy Irwin, Middleburgh Elementary School principal, notes that Mr. Sloane "encourages innovative thinking for his faculty and his students. He is always open to new ideas and fresh thinking when it comes to teaching and learning. He is an advocate for all students, keeping in constant communication with families through good times and difficult times."

Middleburgh Central School District Superintendent of Schools, Mark Place, says that Mr. Sloane's "knowledge, skills, and experience sets him apart from other principals." Place adds that, as principal at Middleburgh Jr/Sr High, Mr. Sloane "has overseen the school's transformation from a school under review to one in good standing. The school is now recognized as one of the Top 10 High Schools in the Capital Region as rated by US News and World Report. This designation has only been possible because of Mr. Sloane's focus on continuous improvement and laser-like focus on evaluating our data and supporting our instructional staff."

Mr. Sloane received his bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a master's degree in secondary education from Suffolk University, a master's degree in educational leadership from Emmanuel College, and a school district leadership certificate from the College of St. Rose.

Mr. Sloane and fellow 2024 award winners will be recognized at SAANYS' annual awards celebration, taking place on May 3 at the Saratoga Hilton in Saratoga Springs.

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MCS Faces Budget Gap

Costs, Revenues Still Up in the Air for 2024-25 Budget

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh Central School officials are hoping that a restoration of state aid will help fill some of a large budget deficit in the 2024-25 budget.

The current budget gap stands at about $333,000, if state aid is restored and spending cuts are made, and $1.2 million, if there are no spending cuts and no increase in state aid, school business manager Robyn Bhend told school board members at their March 13 meeting. School officials are expected to approve a spending plan for next year at their April 17 meeting. The public will vote on the plan on May 21.

The current preliminary budget stands at $25.019 million, which is $707,000 or 2.91 percent higher than the current budget. The preliminary budget has been cut by $148,000 since it was last presented in February. The spending plans still includes more field trips, a college in the high school program, and the afterschool program at the elementary school, but not $50,000 for an annual trip to Washington D.C. Teaching salaries in the preliminary plans, are up from $5.18 million to $5.52 million, about 6.58 percent.

Ms. Bhend presented the board with several different tax levy scenarios. If the district approved the maximum tax levy hike, it would raise the levy by 2.01 percent, or $206,103. A hike of 1.5 percent would increase the levy by $153,836.

A huge sticking point is a reduction of 9 percent in state foundation aid, a decrease of $8.5 million to $7.7 million for Middleburgh. Overall state aid is down from $12.7 million to $12 million for MCS, a drop of 5.27 percent.

A restoration in state aid in the final state budget by the state legislature would go a long way in decreasing the budget gap for MCS, Ms. Bhend said.

If there were no restoration of state aid and no reduction in spending, the district would be facing a budget of $1.2 million, Ms. Bhend told school board members. If state aid was restored and there was a spending cut of $119,500, there would still be a gap of $333,000.

Officials are hoping that final health insurance costs, due by the end of March will help close the original gap. Costs are currently expected to increase by $30,000, but if they went up by 20 percent, they would be able to cut spending by $95,000. An increase of 10 percent would allow officials to cut spending by $190,000.

Board members have several options on how to fill the gap, no matter how large.

Ms. Bhend said they can: use funds from the debt service fund (up to $231,000), worker's compensation reserve (up to $55,000), employee retirement reserve (up to $420,000), teachers retirement reserve (up to $594,000), or increase the fund balance (an increase in $500,000 would put the amount of fund balance use at $1.42 million).

She warned board members that none of these fixes are "long-term sustainable strategies."

If there is no new state budget by April 17, the board will have to vote on the budget with the current state aid totals.

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Local Gems Business Review - Weiss Ferments Wins Best Porter

By Leila Crockett

GILBOA & CONESVILLE — Even a quick visit to the Weiss Ferments website reveals an attention to meticulous detail—A characteristic that is often the lynchpin of successful businesses. Their website is simple yet tasteful with images depicting beers with minimalistic labeling and stylistic yet rustic loaves of sourdough, so perfectly executed that no labeling is needed. 

Husband-and-wife duo Erica (the brewer) and Brian (the baker) Weiss moved to the county 4 years ago with the pandemic in full swing and a wealth of knowledge stemming from years of work in the hospitality industry.  Erica as a sommelier and Brian as a bartender. 

Talking to Erica confirmed my suspicion that Weiss Ferments is deeply committed to quality and consistency as well as to a deeper calling around camaraderie and fellowship. 

Erica explained that even after working in wine for a decade that beer was her first love. Having worked in Boulder, Colorado and finding herself in proximity to many breweries, she was able to explore, and gain an appreciation of their inherent communal culture. Later moving to Brooklyn, her exploration of breweries continued.  She discovered that a great beer, after a service at 11 Madison Park, was a worthy reward. 

Brian’s bread obsession began with a trip to Italy in which he discovered the regionality of grains and bread making styles. After returning home he felt compelled to begin researching bread making methodology.  A few weeks later he was able to present Erica with his first naturally leavened loaf. His success in breadmaking is indisputable. Meticulousness is a quality which has served him well whether as a baker or a mixologist. One thing is certain, it helps to have the palate of a sommelier on which to test your creations. 

This year, the commitment to quality and meticulousness paid off when Erica entered her Porter, “Hold Fire” in the “2024 New York State Craft Beer Competition”and won first place. 1,421 beers were entered by 232 breweries. Erica is humble about this success though it is extremely impressive for a brewer to win the first competition they have ever entered. This speaks volumes about the power of her palate and the knowledge she had acquired as a seasoned sommelier. A Georgia Tech Graduate, with a background in engineering and a supernatural palate is well equipped to apply the technical knowledge required to produce beer of this quality.

Erica was surprised that she won as her beers do not ascribe to the more popular beer making trends like hazy IPAs or kettle sours—especially with the inclusion of rye in all varieties.  “Hold Fire” for instance was brewed using old school traditional standards that originated in the countryside of England. She explained that brewing in small batches allows her to hone in on quality and defining characteristics. To hear her explain it sounds almost like she is sculpting these beers. For instance she avoids using lactose or flaked oats to impart creaminess but instead imposes texture explicitly through technique. Other old school preferences which are aimed at a dry clear finish include a distinctive gentle carbonation, and avoidance of hops or yeast that imparts either a sweetness or perceived sweetness.  

Weiss Ferments Biergarten will reopen on April 26. 

For more information about Weiss Ferments visit: weissferments.com   

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