The Mountain Eagle

2/2/25

GEM WITHIN A GEM - Mercantile Opens on Main Street in Windham

Written By The Mountain Eagle on 2/2/25 | 2/2/25

Neatly-arranged everydays and accessories await browsers and buyers.

Ribbon-cutting was held recently for Gem Mercantile Country Boutique. On hand for the event were (left to right) Windham Chamber of Commerce board members Jon Licurse and Barry Smith, Windham town supervisor Thomas Hoyt, owner Dave Liatti, co-managers Carolyn Maccaro and Val Walis and Chamber board member Stephen Bendernagle.

Stuffed animals quietly and softly await a new home.

The well-lighted Grand Room is - well what other word is there for curious customers than - grand?

Welcoming clientele to Gem Mercantile, at 5399 Main Street in Windham, are co-managers (left to right) Val Walis and Carolyn Maccaro.

By Michael Ryan

WINDHAM - The materialization of Gem Mercantile Country Boutique didn’t happen overnight although it seems to have appeared as if by magic.

An official ribbon-cutting hosted by the Windham Chamber of Commerce was held recently, on the west end of town, across the street from the Windham Local, an interesting little cafe and music house.

Dave Liatti is the innovative owner of the Gem and the Local, along with the TapHouse Grille, a short walk east toward the middle of downtown.

Liatti, over the past six years, has also made the Windham Local front lawn available for a popular summertime farmer’s market which will henceforth be doing business on the grounds of Gem Mercantile.

Barely pausing to breathe, Liatti is already planning to internally expand the merchandise in the mercantile, graciously borrowing its given name from Windham, known worldwide as the “Gem of the Catskills.”

The neatly-arranged, soothingly-hued, remodeled shop contains sundry selections such as mens’ and womens’ clothing, soft stuffed animals, Stinging Nettles Botanics and speciality chocolates.

Dual tastings of chocolate and wine are scheduled for Valentines Weekend but there is no reason to wait to browse between now and then.

The front room offers a montage of handmade or locally-created items; the book, “A Conversation with Fear,” by native daughter Mermer Blakeslee, and jewelry from Val Wallis (the store co-manager).

There is “Catskil-Opoly,” a buy, trade and explore board game rooted in the Catskills, fine blankets and scarves from Nonna Rachele (the 87-year-old mother of store co-manager Carolyn Maccaro), unique pottery by Bruce Dehnert and bees-based products from The Welsh Homestead.

Over here are charcuterie boards made by Catskill Mountain Woodworking and over there, Wild Kingdom Soap (blended by co-manager Maccaro) or heat bags and slippers (by Pat Walis, the mom to co-manager Val).

Entering the Grand Room, shoppers are treated to baskets of fuzzy stuffed animals, womens’ suede trench coats, handbags, jumpsuits and fanny packs and mens’ fleece flannels, puffy vests & trucker jackets.

Let’s not forget. Hither and thither but in orderly fashion are loose leaf teas, accessories, athleisure gear, hats, gloves and fun or functional gifts.

Gem Mercantile is no pop-up shop, culminating great forethought. “Shortly after I started the Windham Local in 2015 I began having discussions with [Chamber of Commerce president] Lisa Jaeger,” Liatti says.

“We talked about the development of the town. In every talk, the need for a retail shop came up, and not just with Lisa but with many people.

“So it has long been my intention to bring a really nice retail shop here. This property presented an opportunity for a number of things,” Liatti says.

“We can offer high quality items and move the farmers market here, giving it room to grow. We felt this is important for the community,” says Liatti, thanking Jaeger and town supervisor Thomas Hoyt for their support.

Gem Mercantile is open Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open every day during Presidents Week).

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ASF and Wounded Warrior Project Team Up For This Year's Bob Stubbs Warriors in Motion Winter Sports Weekend

Veterans, their guests and ASF Staff and Volunteers at last year's Bob Stubbs Warriors in Motion Winter Sports Weekend. Photo courtesy of Marc Bryan-Brown.

– The Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF) will be hosting its 21st annual Bob Stubbs Warriors in Motion (WIM) Winter Sports Weekend next Thursday, January 30-Sunday, February 2.

This year, the ASF is teaming up with the Wounded Warrior Project, who will be bringing nine U.S. military veterans and their guests to Windham to learn how to ski and snowboard. The WWP will be covering travel fare, while the ASF, thanks to generous grants and donations, will be providing lodging and food, making the weekend free for all participants. One participant, retired U.S. Army Sergeant Lashawn McKoy, is looking forward to experiencing snow sports for the first-time ever.

“I’m coming up from North Carolina, so for one I’m looking forward to seeing the amount of snow,” McKoy said with a laugh. “My cousin is stationed at Fort Drum in New York, and he keeps sharing videos in the family group chat about how much snow they’re getting. He skis, and he keeps telling me how much fun I’ll have experiencing skiing for the first time. I’m looking forward to trying it, it’s something new and it will be something I’ll be able to tell my friends, ‘yeah, I went skiing.’”

One of the many things that makes the Bob Stubbs Warriors in Motion Winter Sports Weekend special is the opportunity for these military veterans to bring a family member or friend with them to support them and also learn how to ski or snowboard. McKoy will be bringing his younger sister, Melody, with him so they can bond on the slopes and make lasting memories together.

“It’s special for me to bring Melody along. We have a seven-year age gap between us, and she’s more closely aligned with my younger cousins,” McKoy explained. “I remember when I turned 18 and joined the military, she was only 11 or 12-years old. We don’t have as tight of a relationship that a brother and sister should, so I reached out to her, and she was really excited about experiencing this with me and making some memories, and I feel the same way.”

The veterans and their guests will arrive at the ASF’s Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center on Thursday evening, where they will be fitted for their gear and any adaptive equipment they will need over the weekend. Once everyone is ready for a weekend on the slopes, the participants will enjoy a dinner that will be catered by Zecatela’s 2, located on Main Street in Windham.

The participants will have three days of lessons on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Prior to their lessons they will participate in morning mobility sessions that will allow them to stretch out and loosen up before snapping into skis or strapping into a snowboard. Once at the ASF lodge, the ASF Kitchen Crew, a group of ASF volunteers, will provide breakfast for the warriors each day. Once 9 a.m. rolls around and the participants are stretched out and fed, they will meet with their instructors and begin their lesson by 9:30 a.m.

On Friday, the ASF and Windham Mountain Club will be holding a special honorary luncheon for the veterans in attendance at Windham Mountain Club’s Seasons restaurant in the resort’s main lodge. The ASF has invited special guests to attend, including Windham Town Supervisor Thomas Hoyt, Wounded Warrior Project’s Adaptive Sports Specialist Randa Osman and ASF board member and daughter of Bob Stubbs Charity Guzofski to say a few words. Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School’s 2nd grade and Elementary Chorus will also be in attendance to sing patriotic songs during the event. Once the luncheon ends, the veterans, their guests and the ASF volunteers and staff will then take a group picture before afternoon lessons begin. Afternoon lessons run from 1-3 p.m. before the veterans return to their hotels for a post-ski mobility session and a little rest before they get ready for dinner at the ASF Lodge, courtesy of the ASF Kitchen Crew.

The warriors and their guests will once again have a full day of lessons on Saturday, with the morning sessions beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the afternoon lessons beginning after lunch, provided by the ASF Kitchen Crew, at 1:30 p.m. The veterans and their guests will have dinner at the Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center again later that night, and their instructors and some special guests from the community will be invited to break bread with them as well. Local quilters from Windham’s The Patchwork Co. create special quilts for the veterans each year, and they will be in attendance to hand out their creations during dinner on Saturday. Saturday’s supper will also be made by the ASF Kitchen Crew.

On Sunday, the final day of this special weekend in Windham, the WIM participants will arrive at the ASF lodge and enjoy breakfast and a morning lesson before departing after lunch.

“Programs like the Adaptive Sports Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project are very important for veterans who have been injured in combat. When I got out of the army in 2005, I feel like these types of activities and programs weren’t as popular as they are now,” McKoy said. “Having an outlet and being able to do these activities makes it feel like we’re still normal. It’s great for the mental psyche and overall quality of life.”

About the ASF’s Warriors in Motion Program

The Warriors in Motion (WIM) program provides participating injured United States servicemen and women with a basic knowledge and practice of wellness and the importance of lifelong healthy living. All Warriors in Motion programs are goal-oriented and empower the warrior to take charge of their own fitness and wellness. One of the many things that makes this weekend special is that the warriors who will be joining the ASF are able to bring their families along with them to take skiing and snowboarding lessons as well.

Beginning in 2021, the ASF renamed its Warriors in Motion Learn to Ski and Ride event to the Bob Stubbs Warriors in Motion Winter Sports Weekend to honor the memory of Bob Stubbs, a former Chairman of the ASF Board of Trustees, who passed away in 2020. Stubbs, a U.S. Army veteran himself, was one of the first ASF donors to ensure that wounded veterans had everything they needed for a weekend of fun and empowerment on the slopes. He and his wife Rosie would attend many of the WIM events the ASF held, and often the couple would build friendships with the participants.

About the Adaptive Sports Foundation

For over 40 years the ASF has been providing sports and recreation opportunities to thousands in the disabled community. Since then, it has grown into what it is today, an organization that provides year-round services out of its own slope-side lodge, the Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center. All this has been accomplished over the years thanks to many donors and an impressive legion of volunteers, who can be seen in their iconic green jackets sliding down the snow-white slopes.

The Adaptive Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides profound and life changing experiences for children and adults with physical disabilities, cognitive disabilities and chronic illnesses through outdoor physical activity, education, support and community. For more information about the Adaptive Sports Foundation please visit www.adaptivesportsfoundation.org.

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Ashland Speaks

By Lula Anderson

I find it hard to sit and write one day a week, so maybe I'll start a daily check in. Wednesday was so frigid. Judy had to go to her old house for a final cleanout of personal possessions, and it was beastly cold. Loading up the van wasn't too bad, but unloading in Jewett was rough. Just throw things in the garage and worry about it later. On Thursday it warmed up with bright sunshine, so it felt quite balmy out there. Friday morning started with a surprise. I had plans to go to Bible Study and have a day out. I got out early to start my car to let it warm up. I came back out and all of the doors were locked, with the car running. I keep cautioning everyone not to lock the keys in the car, or lose the keys since I only have the one set. thankfully the sheriff came and got it opened before I ran out of gas. Saturday came and went. On occasion I watch my friend Nellis while Christine goes to work. Needless to say, that takes up my entire day as I can't go anywhere. I never know when she is going to nap, so I can't plan anything. Christine always brings food for us, but I like my tea in the afternoon, so always try to fit that in in between naps.

Sunday morning is still church day in my house. I get up, get dressed, pick up Shannon and meet with friends for a couple of hours. It is such a pleasure to sit and commune with God and listen to the lesson. I still don't understand why parents don't bring their children to church. How can we understand the world without a theological background? There is a simple code of ethics: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your neighbor as yourself. I hear so often about parents who are overwhelmed with their children's activities. It's time to put aside one day a week to regroup. To find a place where you can shut off the worries and cares of the world and be with family. What better place than church? Many churches have fellowship hour at the end where everyone gathers for a snack and a chance to discuss the weekly happenings. We are in danger of churches closing down because there is no one there to support them. I went to a Communist country in 1980 and in a remote mountain town met a schoolteacher. Every morning, she attended Mass because she could not do that in her hometown, She admitted that she never knew what she had until she lost it. I hope that we don't come to that point in our lives.

With the ongoing freezing weather, we have had an abundance of frozen pipes. The Ashland Trailer Park has had its share of problems. Last week there was a fire on one of the electric poles which melted wires and meters and resulted in many of the back trailers having no electricity for many days. My son had to borrow a kerosene heater to keep his pipes from freezing while he showered and ate with his brother who wasn't affected by the problem. It was a week before the meters and wires were replaced and inspected. Then on Friday, my other son came in and said there was a geyser in the park. A water pipe had frozen and burst. More digging, more repairs.

There have been several new businesses opened in Windham, but my big news is the opening of a Thrift Shop in the mini mall which used to be Ron's Dairy Bar and now has several small businesses. Stop by and see what you can pick up.

Friday night is dinner church at Ashland UMC starting at 6 with a pot luck supper. Come join us.

Heard from Paul and Joan Mead the other day. They keep in touch with friends via Facebook and email, but still find the time to call me and Bill Mead with news.

Continuing prayers for Liz Dewell, Ed Armstrong, Leona Knox and Fran Brabazon. I have a problem with people who want prayers, don't want their name put in the paper. Come on now, you can't have it both ways.

AS I REMEMBER IT

With the below freezing weather and the Non relenting winds, I think back to the days when we lived in the farmhouse without central heating. One night in particular stands out as it was 30 below zero with the wind blowing about 40 miles per hour. We moved the bed into the center of the room in case a tree limb fell on the house so we wouldn't get hit. We piled on the blankets, down comforters and everything else we could find to keep warm. We really didn't have to worry about the electric going out because we weren't reliant on it. We had our wood furnace stoked up and every stove in the house. In the morning, mom turned on the gas range and perked coffee and made breakfast. We had manual can openers, or just used the jars of food that were preserved in the fall. A quick run to the barn to check on the animals, who were probably warmer than we were, gather the eggs from beneath the warm chickens, and we were good to go. Now, the power goes out for an hour and we all panic. I have a gas stove and always have a couple of gallons of water so I can have my coffee. The way this winter is going, I think we all need a crash course on survival techniques.

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Unfortunate…But

By Michael Ryan

PRATTSVILLE - The whole situation is “surreal” if you ask Ashland town supervisor Richie Tompkins and “bizarre” if you put the same query to Prattsville town supervisor Greg Cross.

Those words are being applied to a snafu between the neighboring towns regarding ambulance service that has resulted in Prattsville requesting a look-see into the matter by the NY State Attorney General. (Please see companion “Hearsay” column on the issue and its ripple effects).

This is not the first such dust up between Tompkins and Cross surrounding ambulance service delivered by Ashland to Prattsville through a yearly contract that also includes the town of Lexington.

A similar scenario emerged in 2024 when Cross initially refused to sign a new deal, alleging Tompkins was not transparent, arriving at his budget figures, and claiming Prattsville was financially “being held hostage.”

Ashland, providing service to Prattsville and Lexington, charges them for their portion of the overall operating budget based on the percentage of calls emanating from each town.

Prattsville is at 47.7 percent (an increase of 7.7 percent from 2024) with Lexington at 25 percent and Ashland 27.3 percent for what is roughly a $600,000 annual bottom line.

Prattsville ultimately signed the 2024 pact but is digging in its fiscal heels for 2025, exchanging terse letters with Ashland through their attorney, steadfastly saying they will get ambulance service elsewhere

Cross has not clarified from where or from whom that will come. Tompkins says neither he nor the State Department of Health (DOH) have any clue, putting Ashland on the horns of a moral dilemma.

A new pact was due at the end of December which Lexington signed and Prattsville did not, citing numerous “concerns” laid out by their attorney, Diana DeSanto, from the firm Trainor Pezzulo and DeSanto.

Ashland responded but Prattsville demanded more details that Cross says were not forthcoming, ignoring a 10-day deadline to use or lose the deal.

Prattsville also said they were “not interested” in an offer from Ashland to keep providing service for 90 days, at the new contract terms, while Prattsville seeks a different vendor as they say they are doing.

A stalemate has been reached. We can straggle only so deeply into the legal weeds, at this stage, about what is or is not financial fact.

But for Prattsville, the standstill and the appeal to the Attorney General boil down to money - how Ashland determines their costs, how they divvy up those costs and what happens to money not spent at years-end.

Those details are also true for Ashland although there is more to their story. “DOH says we are no longer required to go to Prattsville,” Tompkins says, referring to the State ambulance service regulatory agency.

“And Prattsville has told us not to come which is fine, if that’s what they want. But then there is the human side,” Tompkins says.

“The scary part is, somebody in Prattsville might need an ambulance. What if we simply don’t go?” Tompkins says.

Due to the contract, when a call for Prattsville goes to the Greene County 911 dispatch center, Ashland gets toned. If they don’t go after two tones, the call is shifted to neighboring Windham.

That is a scenario that happens regularly if, for example, Ashland is already answering a call. The backup network is set in motion.

Will things be different, however, now that Prattsville has told Ashland not to come because of a contract dispute? Will Windham or any other unit want to fill that void on what would be a regular basis?

The county’s flycar system, bringing paramedics to the scene of every call countywide, will still respond but they do not provide hospital transport.

That is Ashland’s responsibility under the contract with Prattsville. Another unit could go to Prattsville, but in order to recoup their costs, they would need to bill the individual person.

Ambulance officials will tell you the percentages on individual payback are in the 30 percent range, so it gets very complicated, even as Ashland is expected to continue responding in Prattsville without getting paid.

“When you have a lawyer you have to take their recommendations into consideration,” Cross says. “When we asked Richie to go back to last year’s numbers, he basically told us to go pound salt.

“Hopefully we can still hash something out,” Cross says. “We aren’t trying to be impossible. We know emergency medical services are expensive.

“But this is brutal, how it is impacting our bottom line. Nobody is happy about the situation,” Cross says, “but at the end of the day, we have a responsibility to our people for public safety and taxes.”

Tompkins, equally dug in, says, “if [Cross] thinks I’m not doing this fairly, I will sell him one of my ambulances and give him a helluva’ deal on it.

“He can then do all the staffing and training and buying of ambulances and billing. I wonder if the people in Prattsville know about everything that is really going on here,” Tompkins says.

“It is unfortunate,” Cross says, “but"…

“This is unfortunate,” Tompkins says, “but”…

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LEGISLATURE STUFF - Groundhog Day on the Horizon

By Michael Ryan

CATSKILL - The final week of January is usually governmentally quiet for the Greene County Legislature other than picking who does what on various committees and sundry agencies.

Entering the year 2025 is no exception, renaming folks who are doing the job well or choosing someone new because somebody has retired or maybe a person opted not to return for any number of reasons.

It is not as dramatic as Groundhog Day waiting in the wings but it is more reliable than the Punxsutawney rodent and legally required regardless of who or what is involved, including reappointing Tourism Advisory Committee members as follows:

—Kevin Lewis (Baumann’s Brookside representing Lodging (Resort), Chip Seamans (Windham Mountain Club representing Attraction (Ski Resort;

Lenore Whitcomb (Winter Clove Inn representing Lodging (Resort), Katherine Christman (Christman’s Windham House representing Lodging

(Golf Resort);

Jessica Halbrecht (Hunter Mountain representing Attraction (Ski Resort), lawmaker Patty Handel, District 9, Durham, Blackthorne Resort representing Lodging (Resort);

Marianna Leman (Albergo Allegria representing Lodging (Inn/B&B), Jennifer Greim (Thomas Cole National Historic Site representing

Attraction (Arts & Culture);

Tinker Nicholsen-Pachter (Sunny Hill Resort and Golf Course representing Lodging (Golf Resort), all serving 1-year terms.

The purpose of the Tourism Advisory Committee is to build industry support in the fulfillment of the county’s “Destination Marketing Program,” a legislative resolution states.

Their primary tasks are providing industry-specific input on advertising and marketing, communication and education, economic development projects and advocacy, being as close as close gets to the real world of business.

Lawmakers also are where the buck stops in terms of authorizing where and how money is spent by the Greene County Department of Human Services Youth Bureau on an annual basis.

That county agency receives funding from the NY State Office of Children, Youth and Family Services to the tune of $83,646 for the current and retroactive period of October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025.

Those dollars must be committed thusly: $44,657 for Youth Development Programs, $20,000 for Sports and Education Opportunity Funding and $18,989 for Team Sports.

The Youth Advisory Board recommends in what specific way the money will be directed and the legislature chairman, in this case Patrick Linger, is authorized to sign the agreement, doing so as follows:

—Youth Development Programs/ Athens Cultural Arts Center $8,000, boundless Arts $3,000, Cairo Summer Recreation $3,200;

Common Ground Dispute Resolution $2,000, Cornell Cooperative Extension $3,000, CREATE Council for the Arts $4,285;

Durham Summer Recreation $3,000, GC DHS Pre-PINS $3,897, Youth Bureau Community Development. $500, Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, $3,500, Greenville Library $2,280, Prattsville Art Project $4,000, YMCA Health Kids $3,995.

—Sports and Education Opportunity Funding/ Cairo Summer Recreation Sports Program $3910, Durham Summer Swimming Program $ 4,957, Pop Warner Football Cheerleaders $11,133;

—Team Sports/ Coxsackie-Athens Little League $7,704, Greene County Flag Football $4,181, Greenville Soccer $3,575, Northern Catskill Youth Organization (Rip VanWinkle Soccer) $3,529.

Lawmakers, continuing with their obligations, appointed and reappointed members to the county Youth Advisory Board for one year as follows:

—NEW APPOINTMENTS/Margaret Bush (General Public), Brandie Callahan (Service Provider/CoxsackieAthens Central School District, Natalie Lipski (Student, Catskill Central School District), Betsy Pellitteri (General Public);

—REAPPOINTMENTS/ Kevin Forbes (Greene County), Andrew Holliday (Youth Member), MaryJo Jaeger (Greene County), Amanda Karch (Columbia-Greene Workforce);

Debra Kingman (Greene County Probation), Maeve Lampman (Youth Member), Tatum Lampman (Youth Member), Sal Massa (Retired);

Brenna Rustick (General Public), Angelo Scaturro (Greene County Public Defender), John & MaryAnn Scalera (General Public). One vacancy remains, representing Greene County Public Health.

Lastly, lawmakers, upon the recommendation of county treasurer Keith Valentine, approved entering into an agreement with three+one for cashVest Liquidity & Treasury Analysis Services.

Valentine determined it is in the best interest of the county to procure Professional Investment Services and three+one is the company best suited to provide said services to Greene County.

The outside experts will, “ensure appropriate and competitive pricing is being received from financial partners pertinent to the facilitation of cash management and to define the next steps and recommendations to

uncover new sources of value on identified strategic liquidity,” the legislative resolution states.

Greene County, meaning we mules of taxation, will pay $34,000 for annual liquidity monitoring and reporting services in $8,500 quarterly installments.

Either party may cancel the pact by giving 30 days written notice of intent to terminate to the other party after the first full calendar year of service.

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Out Lexington Way

Cassandra Constable and Corey Laframboise were given the honor to be invited to the Commander in Chief Ball on Jan. 20. It was an unforgettable experience and they had a wonderful time.

By Christine Dwon

Because of the recent fire in the building that houses the West Kill Post Office, mail for West Kill Post Office P.O. box holders is currently being sorted in the Shandaken Post Office and being held for P.O. box holders to pick up. Shandaken Post Office hours are Monday through Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Amy, the rural mail carrier, is able to continue delivering mail to her West Kill customers on her normal mail routes.

Cassandra Constable, who is the daughter of Connie and Michael Constable and granddaughter of Carol and Alden Constable, and Corey Laframboise were invited guests to attend the Commander in Chief Ball in Washington D.C. on Jan. 20. They had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Friday, Jan. 31 is the next potluck Dinner Church at the Ashland UMC, 12216 Route 23, Ashland at 6 p.m. Come enjoy the fellowship, a great meal and bring a friend.

Micro Sunday School will be held Saturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m. to noon at the Lexington/West Kill UMC, Lexington. All children welcomed. Call Susan at 518-429-8054.

We wish a very happy birthday to Shirley Van Valkenburgh on Thursday, Jan. 30.

On Saturday, Feb. 1 little Miss Charlotte Hale Clark will be one-years old.

Happy birthday to Rose Williams who celebrates her birthday on Sunday, Feb. 2.

Tuesday, Feb. 4 is Emma Dwon’s birthday.

Best wishes to everyone.

First Tuesday of each month (Feb. 4) is Classic Movie day at the Hunter Public Library, 7965 Main Street, Hunter starting at 10:30 a.m. All invited.

Lexington/West Kill UMC Administrative Council meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 4:30 p.m. weather permitting, in the Lexington Church Hall.

There is no meeting in February for the Town of Lexington Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary.

Mark your calendars for the Children’s Ice Fishing Derby sponsored by the Catskill Mountain Fish and Game Club and the Stony Clove Rod and Gun Club on Sunday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the Rip Van Winkle/Tannersville Lake. Prizes awarded for the largest fish and the most fish in both the junior and senior division. Open to children up to 16 years old – children 16 years of age must have a valid fishing license. You may fish with up to three tip ups or hand lines and use single hooks only. Live bait and some tip ups will be available for use. For more info, call Bob Monteleone a 518-488-0240.

The Greene County Senior Nutrition Program menu for the week of Feb. 2 – Feb. 7 is as follows: Monday—Sloppy Joes, cauliflower broccoli medley, white rice, tropical fruit; Tuesday—Baked salmon with dill sauce, spinach, juice, brown rice pilaf, pears; Wednesday—Chicken Divan, Sonoma vegetable mix, white rice, chocolate chip cookies; Thursday—French onion meatballs, carrots, juice, egg noodles, peach crisp with whipped topping; Friday—Macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, three-bean salad, fresh fruit. All persons, age 60 and older and spouses are invited to attend. Congregate meals served at noon Monday through Friday. Suggested donation is $4 per meal. Congregate dining reservations are required by noon at least a day in advance. If you reserve a meal and are unable to attend, please call as soon as you can to cancel. This helps reduce our food waste. If you have food allergy, please notify us. Allergen information is available for prepared food items. The number to call for the Senior Services Center at the Jewett Municipal Building, Route 23C, Jewett is 518-263-4392.

Nominations are being sought for 2025 Youth of the Year Award. The Greene County Children, Youth and Community Advisory Board is again sponsoring the annual Greene County Youth Awards – Youth of the Year, Chairman’s Choice and Director’s Choice. The purpose of the awards are to recognize the outstanding contributions and achievements of Greene County youth who have made outstanding contributions in serving his/her community through leadership, knowledge, skill and/or service. The dedication of these young people help make Greene County a better place for us all.

If you know a young person, in grades 9 – 12 who deserves this recognition, you can find a nomination form available on the web site: http://www.greene-government.com/departments/human-services-greene-gov/news-events or contact the Greene County Department of Human Services at 518-719-3555. From the nominations received, the youth will be evaluated by the selection committee to determine this year’s winner. Any inquires for further information may also be directed to the department. Deadline for entries is March 31, 2025.

Sunday, Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. Do you really think it matters if the weather forecasting critter sees his shadow or not? Chances are pretty darn good there will be at least six more weeks of winter around here.

Thank you to all law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, healthcare providers, volunteers, veterans and actively serving military, 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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(MORE) BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Holy 911 Call, Batman

By Michael Ryan

ASHLAND - If this was Gotham City, the Bat-Phone might be ringing in the Batcave as Commissioner Gordon calls the Caped Crusader for aid.

But it is just little old Greene County where word of the tumult involving the towns of Ashland and Prattsville has reached the ears of county officials.

In the long and short run there really isn’t much of anything the county can do about the standoff between the two neighboring towns surrounding a contract for ambulance service.

That issue is spelled out in a companion “Hearsay” column, this week, seeming on the surface like a simple squabble over money.

Prattsville’s refusal to sign a contract renewal for 2025, however, threatens to disrupt an already fragile emergency medical services system on the mountaintop and well beyond these high hills.

Discussions have been intensifying over the past three months about forming a countywide ambulance system.

The conversation was prompted by a group of mountaintop government leaders going to the legislature, over a year ago, delivering an urgent message that something had to change with EMS, or else.

Their message was this…a shift toward fulltime, paid workers with much better salaries and benefits was in the wind and that the system had to either glide with the prevailing breezes or get swept up by them.

An outside consultant was hired to compile data and offer suggestions on a possible new direction. For all intents and purposes, the move away from individual municipal units is going to happen.

County leaders, privately, are ready to do it whether the various towns with their various systems agree to it or not, although the preference is to get everybody on board. That will all take time.

Meanwhile, the contract snag between Ashland and Prattsville contains an element that would likely befuddle even the wickedly wily Riddler.

Prattsville town supervisor Greg Cross says his town board voted unanimously to shuck the contract with Ashland.

A letter from Prattsville’s attorney emphatically states the town, “will be utilizing a different vendor effective immediately.”

That is all well and good with Ashland town supervisor Richie Tompkins, if that is what Prattsville wishes, but there is one teensy-weensy problem.

Tompkins says neither he nor the State Department of Health can guess who it might be. Perhaps the nefarious Puzzler or Catwoman knows!

Nobody I’ve talked to in the local EMS field has any idea who the vendor is, or worse yet, who could arise from the shadows under the circumstances.

“We would have heard about them if there was somebody,” says one EMS veteran who wanted to speak only on background, further offering that Prattsvile is “bluffing” as part of a contract negotiation tactic.

Cross has not identified the vendor while saying he is hopeful that lawyers for the two sides can hammer out a compromise, likely including some significant financial wiggle room from Ashland.

Talks aimed at doing that, last week, were cancelled, disappointing county officials who say they would love to sit the town boards from Ashland and Prattsville in the same room, not letting anybody out until a deal is done.

Cross and Prattsville have seriously upped the ante, calling upon the State Attorney General’s office to peruse Ashland’s bookkeeping.

Tompkins, responding to the move says, “that’s fine with me. We have a private accounting firm checking everything every three months.

“They submit an annual report to the the State. I’ll send [Cross] a copy of one if he wants,” Tompkins says.

Ashland has offered an option for Prattsville to continue receiving service for 90 days while a new vendor is found. Prattsville has said stay away.

Meantime, while the rest of the county waits to see Prattsville’s plan, it is expected Ashland will keep answering the call there, without a contract nickel, not wanting to leave the residents of Prattsville high and dry.

If they stop, the task would then fall upon other units who would likely go “in good conscience,” says another EMS observer who adds, “but that can’t become the habit. We can’t cover their [ahem] forever.”

Cross has hinted at a lengthy contract holdout, saying, “the hard reality is the county is moving toward a county service.

“With that being said, it doesn’t make sense to go out and try to start our own ambulance service,” Cross says.

One county official says a unified system could be in place as soon as next year while conceding, “having a plan is one thing. The transition period will be painful. Union negotiations could be complex,” dragging things out.

A perfect scenario for the villainous Mr. Freeze. Holy mayday Batman!

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Written By The Mountain Eagle on 2/2/25 | 2/2/25