Scribner's Expands Luxury Accommodations with The Rounds

By Max Oppen

HUNTER — The newly reformed Hunter Chamber of Commerce (HCOC) has been hard at work highlighting fresh business ventures on the mountaintop. In less than a week, they held their second ribbon-cutting, celebrating The Rounds at Scribner's Catskill Lodge, a new luxury accommodation option that is turning heads.

Scribner's Catskill Lodge, a historic site built in the 1880s as the Hunter Mountain Prospect House, has undergone many transformations. In the late 1960s, it became Scribner's Motor Lodge before being purchased and redesigned in 2017 by a Brooklyn-based design and development group specializing in hospitality. The Lodge has expanded its offerings with The Rounds, a collection of circular dwellings that blend nature and modern luxury. Located just up the street on Scribner Hollow Road, these unique structures sit on an old quarry site.

Marc Chodock, managing partner of Escape Hospitality, expressed his excitement for the new addition. "We're excited – it's a very different experience for our guests, and we hope they'll enjoy it. The Rounds provide the beauty aspects of nature up here in the Catskills," he said. The concept was inspired by the region's history of bungalows and cabin stays but with a modern twist. "It was really trying to figure out how to do that in a more modern sense," said Chodock, noting the growing popularity of Tiny Houses. "We wanted to come up with something different and special."

The Rounds are named after their architectural style—circular dwellings, though technically dodecagons (12-sided polygons), as explained by Jade Sinskul, marketing manager at Escape Hospitality. Currently, there are 11 Rounds, with plans for a 12th. The units range from 550 to 795 square feet and offer a range of amenities, including private decks, Japanese soaking tubs, and outdoor showers. One unit is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Each Round provides a captivating experience, merging indoor luxury with the natural surroundings. The larger suites feature king beds, 360-degree circular sunken sofas, and reading nooks, while the smaller units offer similar comforts on a slightly smaller scale. Both include outdoor and indoor bathing experiences, with the oculus at the center of the roof allowing for stargazing.

Hunter Chamber of Commerce President Ryan Penny praised the new addition. "We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of The Rounds at Scribner's, a beautiful extension of their hospitality offering here in the Town of Hunter. It really represents an extension of a mountaintop-leading hospitality experience. We're happy to celebrate with them and highlight this new offering, and a new way to visit our community and see everything else we have to offer."

Penny shared that the Chamber, re-formed earlier this year, has been steadily growing. "We have about 67 members of the Chamber, and we have been adding more as businesses find out about us. We're excited to continue growing and supporting the business community in the Town of Hunter."

Since opening in February, The Rounds has offered a distinctive way for guests to enjoy the beauty of the Catskills. Guests check in at Scribner's and receive a map and keys to their Round. The path to the Rounds is a short five-minute walk, though there's also a shuttle for guests, especially during the winter when the path is closed.

Sinskul noted that guests can also explore a one-mile hiking trail on the property, further enhancing the outdoor experience.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Rounds drew more than 30 attendees, making it the most well-attended HCOC event to date. Chodock summed up the essence of The Rounds by saying, "The whole idea is to let guests walk into their accommodations and look at nature."

The Rounds' design was crafted by Post Company, an award-winning multidisciplinary firm with offices in Brooklyn and Jackson, Wyoming. Post Company focuses on creating elegant and functional spaces, a philosophy evident in every detail of The Rounds.

Located at 13 Scribner Hollow Road in Hunter, you can contact Scribner's by calling (518) 628-5130 or visiting www.scribnerslodge.com.

With the success of The Rounds, Scribner's continues to set the standard for boutique hospitality in the Catskills, offering visitors a truly unique experience in the heart of nature.

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Hunter Chamber of Commerce Holds Ribbon Cutting for Jolie Mountain Top

By Max Oppen

TANNERSVILLE—On Thursday, September 26, the Hunter Chamber of Commerce welcomed Jolie Mountain Top to the community with a ribbon-cutting for the new medi-spa in the Village of Tannersville. Jolie Mountain Top officially opened in June and is operated by Leah Johnson, a licensed aesthetician and part-time resident of Onteora Park. Johnson, who splits her time between the mountaintop and New York City, brings years of experience to her new venture, having worked in the beauty industry since 2006.

"I've always liked the spa space," Johnson said. "I was interested in skin care, so I was happy to move back into that area away from cosmetics." Her journey into aesthetics began after earning her certification as an aesthetician and working in the corporate training department at MAC Cosmetics, a subsidiary of Estee Lauder. Johnson's connection to the mountaintop grew after she and her family rehabbed a house in Onteora Park. "You put all your time and energy into this place and want to be in it. I wanted to be here," she explained.

Johnson's family, including her two daughters, spends summers in the mountains, while the winter months see her traveling between Tannersville and NYC. As the cooler weather approaches, she anticipates an uptick in business. "During the winter, people want to be somewhere serene and calm, and don't mind giving up two hours of their day," she said, noting that treatments like Botox, Vitamin IVs, and B12 shots are popular at the medi-spa.

Jolie Mountain Top provides a range of medical and aesthetic treatments, from injectables to facials. Johnson works alongside a registered aesthetics nurse who administers the medical treatments, ensuring clients leave feeling "totally rejuvenated." Johnson expressed her gratitude for her team, saying, "I have the best staff in the world. I've somehow picked up a lucky penny and have nothing but great things to say about the women I work with."

Jolie Mountain Top is a sister location to Jolie Medical Aesthetics and Wellness, which has branches in Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck. Johnson credited the Poughkeepsie team for helping her through the process of opening her Tannersville location, sparing her from starting from scratch. She first entertained the idea of opening a business on the mountaintop after hearing about the success of Botox parties hosted by the Poughkeepsie location. "My goal is to grab the ski and tourist crowds, as well as locals who are already getting treatments off the mountain," she said. "We'd rather keep the dollars here and have the money go to the schools and broader community. I think this is needed on the mountaintop."

The medi-spa has received an outpouring of support from the local community. Several local business owners and Chamber of Commerce members were there to support her. "The community has been incredibly gracious and welcoming, and I love my landlords, Terrence and Amy [Maul], who own The Pantry on Main," Johnson said. "They're the hardest-working people I know and have totally embraced this business, as has the Chamber of Commerce."

Jolie Mountain Top's head licensed aesthetician, Shelby Townsend, also spoke about the excitement surrounding the new business. A resident of Saugerties, Townsend has been with Jolie since they opened and is certified to use various specialized equipment, such as the Hydrafacial and microneedling devices. "I'm so excited, and I think there's a need for this in the area," she said. I'm really excited to serve the community."

The services offered at Jolie Mountain Top include HydraFacials, dermaplaning, chemical peels, oxygen facials, microdermabrasion, waxing, and more. According to their website, their philosophy is to create a holistic skincare experience, combining advanced treatments with personalized care in a serene, spa-like environment.

Hunter Chamber of Commerce President Ryan Penny highlighted the importance of welcoming new businesses like Jolie Mountain Top to the area. "We're excited to feature a completely new kind of business in Tannersville," Penny said. "Someone like Leah, who lives in the community, came here and found a place to open up inside a newly renovated building – it's a quintessential Town of Hunter story where new businesses are finding homes."

Jolie Mountain Top is located at 6022 Main Street, Suite B, in the Village of Tannersville. For more information, visit their website at www.joliemountaintop.com, follow them on Facebook and Instagram, or call them at 518-740-4818.

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Orpheum Performing Arts Center Hosts Ribbon Cutting and Groundbreaking

Technical Upgrades, Energy Efficiencies and New Orpheum Studios 

Hunter -  Catskill Mountain Foundation announces a ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, October 17 at 1:00 PM at the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville, NY. Local dignitaries and friends of the arts are invited to share in this celebration of the completion of the first phase of the project, which includes theater technical upgrades and design and engineering for the new dance studios. After the ribbon cutting and welcome by Peter and Sarah Finn, project manager Jean-Claude Alten will provide a short presentation of the theater’s technical upgrades and then all will convene outside where the ground will be broken for the new dance studios. This event offers an opportunity to acknowledge local and state commitment to the Village of Tannersville through the expansion of arts and educational programming.

As part of Tannersville’s Downtown Strategic Investment Plan, Catskill Mountain Foundation was awarded $1,750,000 through the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) to expand and upgrade the Orpheum Performing Arts Center. By upgrading the theater, constructing the new dance studios and making the streetscape and accessibility improvements, Catskill Mountain Foundation is able to expand its annual performing arts season and educational programs. 

Contractors, including project manager Jean-Claude Alten; Theater Projects, Metropolitan Interactive, Ltd.; Syracuse Scenery & Stage Lighting Co., Inc.; Hudson Valley Electrical Construction Management Inc.; LaBella Associates; and Termobuild/Laken & Associates, Inc., completed this first phase of the project, successfully upgrading the Orpheum’s technical capabilities and completing the design/engineering for the new building, Orpheum Studios. 

The new dance studio is also supported through the Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development program, now known as the Building Cleaner Communities Competition administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) which will help Orpheum Studios achieve emissions free performance, through innovative building strategies and equipment designed for superior energy efficiency. 

These building systems work together to deliver energy performance far beyond the sum of its parts. Key features include Termobuild Smart Floors, combining heating, cooling, ventilation and energy storage in one system, reducing the overall power requirement. A geothermal heating and cooling system uses the inground stored energy and electricity, requiring no combustion of fossil fuels. Other high performing elements to the project include energy efficient walls, windows, doors and lighting, as well as rooftop solar panels.

The Orpheum Performing Arts Center is a destination in the Village of Tannersville, at the center of the village’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative boundary. The construction of the new two-floor, state-of-the-art dance studio, with a fully ADA compliant first floor provides a comfortable, safe and reliable space that strengthens community connectivity. Aligned with the town’s goals of reducing environmental impacts, the project will be a clean and resilient emissions free model to further the facilities’ ability to reduce greenhouse emissions. The project is aspiring for Green Globes Certification and net zero energy performance.

The Orpheum Performing Arts Center is located at 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY. For more information, please visit www.catskillmtn.org. RSVP by October 14 to morseh@catskillmtn.org .

About Catskill Mountain Foundation
The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s (CMF) aim is to provide educational opportunities in the arts for youth and lifelong learners, to bring the experience of the arts to the Catskill community, and to support artists and art organizations in the development of their work through residencies. Since its founding in 1998, CMF has presented hundreds of music, dance, and theater performances; screened over 1,000 films to tens of thousands of audience members; provided studio arts classes to thousands of students of all ages; and served thousands of art-loving patrons in the Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop. The Catskill Mountain Foundation operates the Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter, the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville, and the Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts in Maplecrest, NY.

Since 1998, CMF has raised, generated, and invested close to $16 million in facility development and an excess of $42 million in programming operations, for a total investment in the Catskill community of over $58 million. Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations. CMF believes that the arts can transform the lives of those touched by it and can transform the community. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Windham Foundation Looking Toward Future with Property Purchase

By Michael Ryan

WINDHAM - A transformational purchase of property has been brought to pass by the Windham Foundation, meaningfully deepening their commitment to their adopted home of Windham.

The historic transaction was announced in a September 27 press release issued by the Foundation, setting aside a 34-acre parcel for future community-shared recreational and civic opportunities.

In addition, a doorway has been welcomely opened for an expansion of the popular Windham Path, someday down the road, extending it to the new land, located on the outskirts of the hamlet of Hensonville.

And the timing of the half-million dollar buy brings serendipitous resolution to controversy embroiling the town the past six months about a proposed plan to build little league fields at the Windham Path.

The intense turmoil over the ballfields is not mentioned as such in the press release, emerging after Foundation leaders say they had decided to become financially supportive of some type of little league project.

Foundation president Paul Mutter, in a phone interview, said conversations about the fields date back to November, 2023, and a Foundation dinner in New York City attended by Windham town supervisor Thomas Hoyt.

Hoyt, at that fundraising gathering, explained a dilemma surrounding the little league diamond which is being squeezed for space and becoming unsafe at its traditional location, along South Street in Windham.

“We talked about how we could maybe be constructive,” Mutter said, with the Foundation having assisted the town in multiple ways since its inception, two decades ago.

The Foundation ultimately teamed with Hoyt, town assessor Richard Tollner and former town attorney Larry Gardner, scouring tax rolls to perhaps acquire real estate for the ballfields and/or to pay for them.

“There wasn’t a lot of land that wasn’t already taken,” Mutter said, noting all the involved parties agreed to circumspectly and silently proceed so as to not inflate or jeopardize the delicate deal.

Supervisor Hoyt broke the news at a September 26 town council session, saying in a prepared statement that, “for the past six months I have been working with the non-profit Windham Foundation to secure property to expand recreational programming in Windham.

“I am pleased to announce that, with the generous support of the Windham Foundation, about 34-acres of vacant land along County Route 65A in the hamlet of Hensonville has been secured.”

The Foundation, in their press release, stated they are a, “nonprofit philanthropic organization founded in 2004 to enhance and enrich Windham’s community through charitable grants for historical preservation, the arts, education and recreation.

“The property is now under contract to The Windham Foundation and is expected to close within 60 days,” the release states.

“The $500,000 purchase price for the land was agreed to, thanks to the multi-generational, community-minded spirit of its current owners, Sotirios and Georgia Econopouly and their children Demetrios, Kathy and Joanne. 

“The Windham Foundation will initiate a new capital fundraising campaign to pay the balance of a seller’s note, and to facilitate further development of the land and other causes,” the press release states.

“The now-undeveloped land, nestled along Greene County Route 65A, known locally as Seeley Road, was at one time home to Kallithea Farm.” 

Further, the Kallithea site was home to the “Orchard Grove House, a hotel property which was destroyed by fire in 1988,” the press release states.

“The parcel will take on a new use as home to a seven-acre Little League Baseball facility, Construction of the ball fields is expected to begin in 2025, with the remainder of the land set aside for future community use.

“Separately, the Town of Windham, facilitated by [Mutter] and [Foundation] vice-president Matt Rodrigue, received approval from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a 1.5 mile extension of the Windham Path through adjoining woods on town-owned land known as the “Dent Loop.”

“Following Phase 1 of clearing the new trail [on the DEP land], which will also begin next year, Phase 2 of the project envisions linking the Dent Loop to the Econopouly property.

“When that work is completed, the Windham Path and the land acquired by The Windham Foundation, connected by the Dent Loop, will provide an extraordinary multi-use recreational asset for the Town of Windham.”

Supervisor Hoyt, earlier this year, reported an unfolding agreement with the DEP, allowing a portion of their lands, adjacent to the Path, to be cleared for a walking trail, minimally impacting the woodsy terrain.

Mutter, in the press release, stated, “over the last year, as we reconstituted and expanded our Board of Directors, we have watched, listened to, and spoken with community leaders, citizens and other interested parties about Windham’s current and future needs.

“We are now pleased to be able to take constructive action to help address them,’ Mutter stated, then apparently touched upon the ballfields issue.

“When good people on all sides of a debate can come together creatively to find solutions for the benefit of Windham’s year-round and weekender families and children, and the visitors who help grow our local economy, everyone wins,” Mutter stated.

“Acquisition of the 34 acres of the Econopouly land, and the multi-use activity that will evolve at the site in the coming years, will likely spur continued growth in and around Hensonville, which has benefitted from significant recent entrepreneurial and residential investment,” the press release states.

Supervisor Hoyt, in the press release stated, “I grew up in Windham, living and working here all of my life, and count as friends both people who were born and remain here, as well as those who have discovered our beautiful corner of the Catskills later in life and enjoy everything we have to offer.

“Healthy debate is vital to a town’s long-term growth, and we have all heard and learned much from one another, resulting in an unprecedented act of generosity from The Windham Foundation.”

The Foundation’s action, “will help us build a ‘Field of Dreams’ for our young people, and so much more, in years to come,” Hoyt stated.

An all-volunteer board runs the Windham Foundation, to date awarding $5.5 million toward cultural and community initiatives, recreational and educational programs and disaster relief efforts, the press release states.

The Foundation will have a central location at Windham’s 30th Annual Autumn Affair on October 12-13, allowing leaders to respond in person to inquiries about plans for the Econopouly land, the press release states.

Board of directors members are Mutter, Rodrigue, Robert Pollichino (treasurer), Christine Ciampa (secretary), Christine Anderson, Vincent Angiolillo, Huw Daniel, Phyllis Parrish, Robert Greifeld, Josh King, and erman D. Smith.

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(MORE) BETTER THAN HEARSAY A Changing Little Rural Town

By Michael Ryan

WINDHAM - History, it is said, depends on who writes it, and in this case it is a conglomeration of people known as the town of Windham.

A loud, months-long wrangling was hushed in a few moments, last week, surrounding a proposal to build little league baseball fields at the immensely popular Windham Path.

Town supervisor Thomas Hoyt announced the plan, this past January, and it was met almost immediately by resistance that steadily evolved into an opposition organization called Preserve the Windham Path.

Tensions have been mounting for months until Hoyt, in a surprise move, announced that the Windham Foundation was buying 34 acres of land.

That land will eventually be transferred to the town for community uses including seven acres for the ballfields.

No one saw it coming except the parties involved in the deal and even they weren’t certain it would happen until it did, two days before it was publicly shared (please see related story).

Preserve the Windham Path, given its presence at council meetings over the past several months, was asked if they wanted to comment.

It is worth noting, before giving the Preserve the Windham Path response, that town councilman Ian Peters, while not directly identifying them, was plainly referring to them and others in his comments following Hoyt’s announcement (please see related Better Than Hearsay column).

Which is also why we asked Preserve the Windham Path if they wished to respond which they did, as follows:

“Preserve the Windham Path is thrilled to announce that the Windham Path, a treasured community asset, has been saved from development after months of collaborative community efforts to identify an alternative location to relocate the Mountain Top Little League facility.

“The Windham Foundation is in the process of acquiring approximately

34 acres of land that they intend to make available to the Town of Windham for future community use - including the Little League facility. 

“This pivotal collaboration will ensure the continued preservation of the Windham Path - a natural gem, which stands as a cornerstone for recreation, tourism, and environmental stewardship in Windham,

the Catskills and beyond.

“We at Preserve the Windham Path extend our heartfelt gratitude to our thousands of supporters and to the Windham Foundation for their commitment to safeguarding this iconic landscape which enabled the Town of Windham to choose this solution for the benefit of all involved.

“Our group reaffirms its commitment to collaborate closely with the Windham Foundation, the Town of Windham and local residents & stakeholders to support this ongoing community project.

“While we celebrate this achievement, we reaffirm our dedication to remaining active stewards of the Windham Path and its unique ecosystem.

“As the heart of our town’s natural beauty, the Windham Path has brought joy to residents and visitors alike, and we are honored to stand with the Windham community in preserving it for future generations.”

It is journalistically worth noting that the press release is not attributed to any one person, listing only Atossa Kia as a Media Contact.

A press release issued by the Windham Foundation similarly lists a Media Contact, Candy McKee, while also having quotes attributed to the Foundation president, Paul Mutter, and Supervisor Hoyt.

There is also a listing of the Windham Foundation’s board of directors. The Foundation is, in large part, composed of people with second homes in Windham who have adopted the town as their own, 

It is not known why nobody belonging to Preserve the Windham Path made it so their name was not connected to the press release.

I once asked one of the principals why and, off the record, their answer was they didn’t want repercussions from the community in their private lives.

Their position, as stated on their website, is that they wanted the beauty and serenity of the Windham Path to go undisturbed while also finding a home elsewhere for the Mountaintop Little League.

Preserve the Windham Path is now part of the town’s history as is the Windham Foundation and this particular rendition of the town board.

It will never be known what might have unfolded if the town board had gone forward with building the ballfields at the Path.

Would the Path have been ruined? Were town board members, even thinking about the Path as the site for the ballfields, oblivious to its espoused uniqueness and tourism importance to the community?

Would there have been a legal battle between Preserve the Windham Path and the town, apparently being readied by the group and the Mountaintop Progressives in website appeals for contributions to hire a lawyer?

At the town board session where the announcement was made about the land deal, a comment was offered by Larry Gardner about the Windham Foundation and its ongoing involvement in the town.

Gardner, the former Windham town attorney who also had his private practice on Main Street in Windham for many years, said, “we are witnessing something extraordinary in our times.”

Which begs the question, who will make decisions, and how will they be made, about what else occurs on the 34 acres?

It is a gorgeous piece of land, one of the last of its kind in Windham, selling for roughly $14,700 an acre, giving an eye-opening sense of a vastly changing little rural town.

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LEGISLATURE STUFF Studying the Study

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - Something has to change about providing emergency medical services, according to Greene County Legislature chairman Patrick Linger.

The million dollar question is - will it? - as lawmakers and other members of a special “Ambulance System Policy Group” prepare for an October 9 talk about a hot-off-the-presses study on the condition of local rescue service.

It will be the first formal conversation involving the Policy Group, taking place at the county Emergency Services Center in Cairo.

The session is open to the public with the Policy Group also including the supervisors from six towns, area medical professionals and a representative from Fitch & Associates.

Fitch & Associates was hired by the county to conduct the independent study after an ardent appeal from mountaintop government leaders to 

address worsening issues within ambulance response and transport.

Lawmakers set aside $100,000 for the report which arrived, last month, containing a big-picture view of the current system and four recommendations for possible change.

Many concerns have been expressed about the current system which relies heavily on the same people working for multiple ambulance units, accumulating as many as 70 to 80 hours in one week.

While not critical of EMS personnel, county administrator Shaun Groden, who is also part of the Policy Group says, “I don’t want to be the person having a heart attack when the EMT or medic showing up is in their eightieth hour on the job.”

Worries have likewise been voiced about the dwindling number of people entering the EMS field due to a lack of good pay and benefits.

Those everyday realities are causing an increasing financial burden for local municipalities, keeping crews at the ready and on the road.

The wish is the fresh study will result in a cohesion that has heretofore not existed between the various units spread around the county.

“This is important,” Linger said in a phone interview about the upcoming meeting. “I hope all the leaders of the EMS community come out.

“It is not okay, this time, to do nothing,” Linger said, referring to a similar study performed a decade ago by a special local Task Force which recommended the formation of a single, countywide system.

Ultimately, the study wound up in the round file as key agencies declined to commit to the plan, revealing a mindset of separate individuality that many believe must go the way of the dinosaur.

“I don’t care what the eventual makeup is, we have a task to do,” Linger says. “We spent $100,000 because we were asked to. It was foolish to waste it last time and it would be foolish to waste it this time.”

The study, in its “Pathway Forward” section, lists four recommendations:

—Option Zero…support the status quo through immediate no-cost and low-cost improvements and process changes.

—Option One…stronger system coordination. In this option, Greene County would take steps to increase and strengthen overall system coordination.

—Option Two…establish a Single Provider System with coordinated districts. This proposed strategy outlines a significant improvement opportunity considering geographical constraints and local expectations.

It involves the establishment of separate EMS districts under a unified EMS agency that would oversee operations. This approach promotes system-wide improvement with increased levels of coordination while providing system support through a single provider.

—Option Three…establish a single provider unified county system. Ultimately, a single-provider system offers the most affordable and efficient option to maintain acceptable system performance with the least tax burden.

While expressing optimism about the possibilities, Linger was discouraged that ambulance agencies in the towns of Greenville and Durham did not provide requested information, as noted within the study.

Their refusal to participate leaves the study factually less than complete (due to no fault of the consultant) and could be a bad omen.

“It is apparently a territorial thing for them but I think they owe it to the taxpayers of Greene County to give that information,” Linger says.

“We, in the legislature, are coming at this from a different perspective. We believe this service should be available to everyone, equally, across the county.

“The scuttlebutt I hear in the street about the consultant’s report tells me some people in the EMS community have not even read the report.

“So the first thing I will be looking for [at the October 9 meeting] is seeing how any people have actually read the proposals,” Linger says.

The writing seems to be on the wall in emergency services with automatic mutual aid being dispatched for volunteer firefighting calls.

“Nobody has enough people,” Linger says. “It isn’t about a lack of professionalism. Young people just aren’t getting involved.

“We have a strong legislature that understands the value of a good EMS system. We’ll see how strong the legislature has to be in all this.

“We would prefer not to lay down the law,” going with Option Three in the report, creating a countywide entity whether popularly accepted or not.

“But we have no hospital in Greene County,” Linger says. “We have to find a sustainable solution to this problem. It isn’t simply going to go away.”

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Multiple Win Awards During Recognition Gala

By Michael Ryan

ASHLAND - The mountaintop-based Windham Manor served as host for the 2024 Greene County Chamber of Commerce Recognition Gala, on September 25, honoring businesses and individuals.

Awards were presented for Businessman of the Year (Joseph M. Pilatich), Businesswoman of the Year (Kitty Kelly) and Not-For-Profit of the Year (Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society).

Honorees also included Distinguished Service, (Greene County sheriff Pete Kusminsky), Small Business of the Year, (Willa’s) and Large Business of the Year (Tip Top Tent Rentals), featured in our September 27 issue.

BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR

Dr. Joseph M Pilatich III was born to the late Joseph M Pilatich II and Rita Pilatich. He Joe attended St. Patrick’s elementary through 7th grade until switching to Catskill High School where he graduated in 1984.

He then attended Siena college, graduating in 1988 with a BS in Biology. He obtained his dental degree in 1992 from the University of Maryland and completed a general practice residency at the Albany VA in 1993. 

Joe has coached Catskill youth baseball and basketball. He has been a member of the Catskill Elks Lodge for 25 years and a lifelong member of the Catskill St. Patrick’s Parish.

Joe donates to many local charities and sponsors many events. He has spoken at his high school Alma Mater on three separate occasions; twice as the Commencement Speaker in 1992 and 2020 and also in 1998, during National Honor Society inductions. 

He has also been a Guest Speaker at  Career Day at Columbia Greene Community College for many years.

Joe’s impressive resume began with his first paid job at 12 years old where he put on a cat costume and ran around Main Street for Old Catskill Days. Unfortunately we don’t have any photos to share with you tonight.

Joe opened his dental practice on July 15, 1993. It was 100 yards from where he was born. Over the last 31 years he has employed numerous lGreene County residents. He now has 13 employees and one Associate.

Joe married his wife Anna on July 12, 1997.  They went on to have two children, Hunter and Alexa.

BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Kitty Kelly was born Katherine Kelly, the youngest of 3 to Ralph and Mary K. Kelly (whom she calls “the best parents ever”). 

She graduated high school from Academy of the Holy Names and received her Bachelor’s from Boston College, entering the corporate world. 

Kitty later left the corporate world to obtain a Masters degree in Educational Psychology at The College of St. Rose where she taught in the School of Education over a period of 15 years (a job she loved). 

Her maternal grandmother owned The Shamrock House; a year-round resort in East Durham and her paternal grandparents owned the seasonal “Kelly’s Brookside,” also in East Durham. 

Kitty started working at age 13 at The Shamrock House and later in East Durham met her future husband, Donal Gallagher who, 44 years ago, opened the Guaranteed Irish Shop.

Donal helped create the non-profit MJQ Irish Cultural and Sports Centre in East Durham, passing 20 months ago.

Kitty and her band, “Catskill Fever,” for more than 20 years have donated their time to various fundraisers. Kitty also donates her time organizing funeral services for family and friends including arranging the program, the music and performing. 

In addition, she has worked for 20 years in animal rescue and advocacy and has worked behind the scenes for decades promoting East Durham and the Catskill area. 

As a small business owner Kitty says “the most important thing we can do is support each other, lift each other up, do our best and stay positive even when times are challenging. When we work together, we can achieve great things in Greene County.”

NOT-FOR-PROFIT OF THE YEAR

The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society is solely responsible for the restoration, preservation and maintenance of the lighthouse and receives no ongoing governmental or private financial support.

The lighted beacon remains the responsibility of the U.S. Coast Guard. The lighthouse, a New York State chartered museum, is celebrating 150 Years in 2024.

Located in the middle of the majestic Hudson River, between the City of Hudson and the Village of Athens, the lighthouse was built in 1874 to prevent shipwrecks.

HALPS’ mission is to preserve and provide access to the iconic Hudson-Athens Lighthouse and to educate people of all ages about the glorious history of the Hudson River Valley.

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