Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - Kid’s Fishing Derby Marred by Misguided Enforcement

Nobody has more esteem than I for the dedicated men and women who work hard at DEC. All too often, although it may not have been my original intention, I find I’m writing articles critical of DEC’s policies. For this week, I had planned to write an optimistic column about the coming of spring and trout season. That unfortunately got derailed when I learned of an unpleasant incident in Schoharie County.     The Schoharie County Conservation Alliance (SCCA) held a kid’s ice fishing derby a few weeks back on the Franklinton Vly off Route 145 in Livingstonville. The sportsmen and women-volunteers were teaching kids to fish, connecting them to nature and a healthy outdoor activity, while promoting sportsmanship and perhaps more importantly, what becomes possible when community volunteers get together to give back. Sounds idyllic, and it was. That is, until the arrival of NYS DEC Forest Ranger Aaron France, who brought with him not a single measure of support, but did bring a healthy dose of aggressive government overreach. Ranger France immediately confronted sportsmen-volunteer and SCCA President, Greg Warner, stating he was in violation for having driven his ATV across state lands to get onto the ice. Greg told Ranger France he did not cross any state lands as he and the other operators of ATVs on the ice had accessed the pond going solely over private land which is not a violation of any law.   The Ranger summarily dismissed his explanation, then issued three tickets to Gregg and two other volunteer-sportsmen for operating ATVs on state lands. During the encounter, the Schoharie County president reports the Ranger was quite rude and intimated he might have shut the whole kid’s derby down because of the alleged violations. Exasperated at the statement, the Schoharie County Sportsmen’s Alliance president asked why he would do such a thing to a kid’s fishing derby? Ranger France reportedly replied, “Because I can.”   That ludicrous sequence of events begs the question, why Forest Rangers are even on the ice checking fishermen? It’s the mission of ECOs to enforce fish and game laws pertaining to ice fishing and the like, while Rangers are experts in search and rescue, forest protection, and combating wildfires.   Kids learning to fish through the ice are typically greeted by ECOs who assist and educate them. The same ice fishers can then be subjected to Rangers checking them with an eye to writing tickets, or as in this case, issue erroneous tickets for violations that do not exist. The regulations prohibiting access to the Vly using ATVs and snowmobiles are circumspect at best and should be considered for amendment or repeal as there is no demonstrable environmental benefit to the resource. The president of SCCA stated, “You got people in charge making up these rules that don’t care about the public.”   Upon a request for their view of the information surrounding this incident, DEC spokesman, Jeff Wernick, responded with the following statement: “Three adults were issued tickets for operating ATVS on a Wildlife Management Area. After further evaluation of the evidence, the tickets were dismissed.”  The tickets were dismissed by the Town of Broome Court because there was absolutely no reason for their issuance, just as SCCA President, Greg Warner had explained to the Ranger at the onset of their encounter.  SCCA is a highly respected and responsible charitable organization. They had obtained a permit from DEC for the event in question which allowed one fully registered snowmobile to cross a portion of the state land to transport elderly volunteers, heavy supplies, BBQ’s etc, necessary to feed a hot lunch to the many kids and volunteers in attendance. It takes a lot of help to put on such a wonderful free kid’s fishing event. Volunteers include many very senior members of the community as well as a cadre of SUNY Cobleskill students who help support the kids by providing live bait.    SCCA remains an icon of sportsman-based volunteerism, charity, and support in Schoharie County. The list of their generosity in terms of time and money for worthy causes is exhaustive but a few are worth noting. They include a venison donation program where this year, over 1,000 pounds of nutritious, lean venison was delivered to eight different food pantries throughout the county. It cost SCCA $2,270.00 for the meat processing alone. They host a disabled veterans shooting program, summer and winter kids fishing derbies, support SUNY Cobleskill students with the Dorwin Hamm Scholarship, and donate funds to support fish and wildlife students traveling to pertinent charitable national events. They created and fund a winter Youth Archery Program attended by 85-150 kids per week from ages 3-16. That includes purchase of all equipment, bows, targets and support for the program. They donate lifetime hunting and fishing licenses to youths to recruit the next generation of hunters and fisherman and even obtain grants to improve habitat and access for the public for outdoor recreation.    Organized sportsmen and women’s groups like SCCA deserve better. All those who recreate deserve better. Even if the volunteers had committed some minor violation, such heavy and ham-handed enforcement at a kid’s fishing derby was entirely unwarranted. Many of DEC’s current programs like fish and pheasant stocking, hunter education, hunter and trapper task forces, and citizen science efforts were either built, or bolstered by organized sportsmen groups like the SCCA. They should be given awards, not tickets.

News and Notes

Shed Hunting Presentation at Westkill Brewing Co. on April 5th; 

CORRECTION: Turkey Calling Seminar on April 13th 

The Westkill Brewing Company at 2173 Spruceton Road in West Kill NY is hosting an antler shed hunting presentation at a cost of $30.00 per person on April 5th at 11:00 am. For tickets and further information go to their website at https://www.westkillbrewing.com/. 

The following week they will host a free turkey calling seminar on April 13th beginning at 

1:30 pm. There will be instruction, raffles, 50/50s and much more. No registration is required for the turkey calling seminar.

Remember to report poaching violations by calling the 24-hour ECO Dispatch at: 

1-844-DEC-ECOS.

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Local History with Dede Terns-Thorpe - Additional Tidbits on the Police Camp

A few more tidbits on the Police Camp.  

Recently we shared information on the NYC Police Camp at the head of the Platt Clove Mountain, purchased in 1920.  Here’s a bit more information on the Kaplan property that became the Police Camp.  

I neglected to include the following: 

Mr. Kaplan’s homestead was on a 2-mile piece of property, consisting of farmland, woodland, and a sharp, rocky, and wooded ascent to within 600 feet of the tip of High Peak. The property was built with great care and included all the improvements possible in the early 1890s. Running water supplied the 3 bathrooms and the 22 living rooms, and a gas supply had been installed. It said the multi-millionaire woolen miller took pride in adding, year by year, to the attraction of the place.  

MORE FEMALES ARE NEEDED IN THE POLICE FORCE: 

The paper said a committee of 25 women brought a petition with 10,000 signatures to Commissioner Enright and requested he appoint at least 10 more policewomen.  

Eight widows of policemen who made the supreme sacrifice also served on the committee. They appealed to have the policewomen hired before the present list expires. There were 47 names left on the list. 

Commissioner Enright promised to consider their petition. (History articles show that female police “matrons” were hired in 1891; caring for female and child prisoners only.  It took another 30 years before the first female Police Defective was hired in 1912, Detective Isabella Goodwin.)  

On a side note, a recent article said approximately 50 policemen responded to assist the volunteer firemen at the Twilight Inn fire in Haines Falls.  

August 18, 1923, the Union newspaper said that Town Road Superintendent, James Walsh, was to repair the Platt Clove Mt. Road from Loomis Bridge to the head of the mountain.  Walsh will do this under the supervision of the county highway department. It is being regraded and resurfaced with oil for a distance of 1 and ¼ miles.  

It is a fine piece of property. Before Kaplan owned it, part of the property was owned by George Harding of the Hotel Kaaterskill. After the Kaplans, the NYC Police Department owned it, and now it’s part of the Platt Clove Community and well taken care of. 

Thanks for reading. Be well and stay safe. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

Dede Terns-Thorpe/Hunter Historian.  

 

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BETTER THAN HEARSAY - Wise Beyond His Years

At home in the shop, Cooper Hulbert (left), ready, willing and eager to lend a hand to shopman Junior Corey and whoever else seeks assistance.

 

Three generations of renters, repairers and retailers; grandfather Scott Powell, grandson Cooper Hulbert (who parked the tractor for the photograph) and father Eric Hulbert.

By Michael Ryan

WINDHAM - The wind had been whipping three straight days but there was young Cooper Hulbert, out in it, where he prefers to be, his shoulders huddled against the cold, headed for whatever might need doing next.

Cooper is 14 years old, turning 15 in a couple of weeks, helping out at Windham Equipment Rentals, the family-owned business.

It seemed story-worthy, seeing him bounce from one thing to the other at the shop, something he says he’s done, “ever since I can remember.”

Part of the reason is, “I like being with my dad,” Cooper says, meaning Eric Hulbert who is paternally linked to Scott Powell who is paternally linked to the late Stanley Ingalls.

Stanley Ingalls was the founder of GNH Lumber, down in the valley towns of Greenville and Norton Hill, thus the acronym.

The well-respected brand later spread to Windham, on the west end of town, where Stan re-birthed an equipment rental business previously operating under a similar name.

Fourteen summers ago, Windham Equipment Rentals lost everything in the destructive flooding from Hurricane Irene, situated in an unfortunate spot, on a sharp bend in the engorged and backed-up Bataviakill.

Being the sort of folks who don’t quit, the business was rebuilt, moving to its present location five years ago, also absorbing Crown Fuels.

So the point is, young Cooper comes from good stock (maternally too), though he didn’t do much to clean up the mess left behind by Irene.

He can be forgiven - since he was still learning to ambulate - and that was probably the last occasion he wasn’t in the thick of it.

Cooper, a freshman at Cairo-Durham, isn’t a typical Digital Age teenager. He actually welcomes stocking shelves, putting together chain saws or weed whackers, and unloading and loading trucks.

“I used to go on deliveries with my dad before I was big enough to do much of anything,” says Cooper, who isn’t a video games lover, unless he is impossibly bored which is essentially never.

Not with skid steers, backhoes and bulldozers to shuffle in the front lot and endless ways to make somebody else’s job pleasanter.

“Maybe I’m biased, but I’ve gotta’ say he is exceptional,” says grandfather Scott Powell, smiling. “He enjoys being hands-on with everything and he cares about people.”

The three R’s are what they are for Cooper who already has his mind pretty much set on trade school, learning welding and securing a CDL license.

Old-fashioned stuff and, oh yeah, he loves fishing and hunting too. “We’ve got a camp in the Adirondacks,” Cooper says, getting fidgety with the interviewer, clearly wanting to get back to the nuts and bolts.

“If I could, I’d spend the whole summer there,” the country kid says, showing he ain’t all-work and no-play, as well as wise beyond his years.

The future will come, he figures. Meanwhile, “I like living here,” Cooper says. “The people are nice, I know where everything is.”

 

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Questar III BOCES Highlights Student in Fire Science Program, Cairo-Durham Fire Department Volunteer

Dugan

CAIRO — Questar III BOCES Fire Science student Daniel Dugan (Cairo-Durham CSD) practices tool-hoisting techniques as he secures a saw with rope to pass it between levels during a hands-on training exercise. The Fire Science program is offered at Donald R. Kline Technical School in Hudson and takes students through the NYS Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations (BEFO) course. 

Daniel is also an active volunteer with the Cairo-Durham Fire Department, which is a program requirement.

 

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Questar III BOCES Culinary Students Win Awards at ProStart Competition

L-R: Chef Amanda Repko (Teacher), Moriah Walker, Joseph Cooper, Alessa Dingman, Kaylee Lewis, and Sebastian Vickers (Teaching Assistant) from Questar III BOCES earned 2nd place in the Culinary Arts Competition.

HYDE PARK — Over the weekend, Questar III BOCES culinary students from the Donald R. Kline Technical School in Hudson and the Robert H. Gibson Technical School in Troy visited The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park to showcase their skills in the annual ProStart competition. At the event, culinary students competed against other students in the New York and Vermont region in a Culinary Competition, the Gourmet Burger Battle, or the Management Competition.

 Two teams from Donald R. Kline Technical School placed in the competition. 

· Management Competition 2nd Place: Emilie Macchi (Junior, Taconic Hills Central School District), Autumn Maurer (Junior, Taconic Hills Central School District), Jiana McDonald (Junior, Catskill Central School District) and Madison Paul (Junior, Ichabod Crane Central School District). 

· Culinary Arts Competition 2nd Place: Moriah Walker (Senior, Hudson City School District), Kaylee Lewis (Senior, Greenville Central School District), Alessa Dingman (Senior, Cairo-Durham Central School District) and Joseph Cooper (Senior, Cairo-Durham Central School District). 

Robert H. Gibson Technical School student Ariel Adams (Lansingburgh Central School District) placed 5th in the Burger Battle.

 As part of the competition, those who placed received scholarships from many of the culinary schools in the northeast to use towards their continued education. 

Questar’s Culinary Arts Program follows the ProStart curriculum sponsored by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The curriculum teaches students the management and culinary skills needed for various career options in the hospitality industry. This two-year program provides students with both the academic content and the work-based learning experiences to be proficient in basic cooking and baking knowledge and skills.

 

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The ASF's Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup Celebrates the End of its 2024/2025 Winter Season

ASF Slider Anna Lazare finishing the Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup courtesy Marc Bryan-Brown.

Hartman Group Photo courtesy Alejandro Lazare

 

"Parade of Flags" credited to Marc Bryan-BrownCaption: The ASF's Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup kicks off with its traditional Parade of Flags courtesy Marc Bryan-Brown.

WINDHAM – The Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF) wrapped up its 41st winter of teaching adaptive ski and snowboard lessons and providing life-changing experiences on the slopes of Windham Mountain Club on Saturday, March 8 with its annual Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup.

The Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup is a fun race down Windham Mountain Club’s “Whiteway” trail and is open for all ASF participants who have taken either seasonal or daily lessons with the organization. It’s a celebration of the accomplishments and the athletic abilities of all the ASF’s adaptive athletes.

The day began at 9 a.m. in a heavy snow squall, when all the participants went through a typical two-hour morning lesson and had a chance to take some practice runs through the racecourse. The racers came into the Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center for an hour lunch before the 12:30 p.m. race. The festivities began with a beautiful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, performed by ASF student and Hartman racer Anna Lazare. The traditional parade of flags followed her performance, which is a magnificent sight that features members of the ASF Race Team and Sliders ski down the racecourse proudly carrying the flags of different nations as well as an Adaptive Sports Foundation flag.

When the first racer, Silvie Jan, crossed the starting gate and began her descent down the slope, the fun began. In total, 41 adaptive athletes took two runs down the course while family, friends and spectators cheered them on from the finish line.

Highlights of the race included Chase Sadowski becoming the first Hartman racer ever to navigate the Tessier Snow’Kart down the course, Tim Kelly, who has just 10 days of monoskiing under his belt, zooming across the finish line in under 25 seconds and the several ASF students sliding into the finish area to end their fun race runs.

The full results of the Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup fun race can be found at www.adaptivesportsfoundation.org.

After the race concluded, the racers and their fans were welcomed back into the Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center to take part in some trivia, listen to a couple of speeches and receive their awards.

The awards ceremony began when volunteer service awards were given out to those ASF volunteers who were celebrating milestone seasons. Race awards were given out shortly after to those racers who finished on the podium in their respective classes. The ASF then gave out special season-long awards to students and volunteers who demonstrated dedication and a love of snow sports all winter long. The first award to be given was the Robert “Buff” Donnelly award, which is awarded to the student who shows exceptional courage, determination and a love for life. This year’s winner was snowboarder Braeden Treharne. The next student award was the Stu Smith “Magic Man” award, which is presented to the student(s) who best exemplifies enthusiasm, good cheer and love of snow sports. The two recipients of this award were Isabella Negrette and Jack Kinahan.

Thomas Breheny and Diane Junker earned this year’s Volunteer Rookie of the Year awards for their amazing performance and helpfulness in their first year with the ASF. The Ralph Hartman Volunteer of the Year awards were given to Matthew Boyle, Monica Nazario and the husband-and-wife duo of Pete and Karen Carroll. Each of these volunteers went above and beyond this winter on and off the snow by showing an exemplary commitment to the ASF and its students. The All-Around Volunteer of the Year award is given to the volunteer who spends their time making significant contributions through volunteering for both the ASF’s summer and winter programs. This prestigious award was given to Bill Hoffman. 

The final award the ASF handed out was the ASF Volunteer Committee Impact Award. This award, which is given by the ASF Volunteer Committee, is given to an individual from the Windham community who has made a significant impact on the Adaptive Sports Foundation through advocacy, community engagement and support of the ASF’s mission to empower lives through adaptive sports. This year’s winner was Johnny O’Connor, the owner of Jimmy O’Connor’s Windham Mountain Inn and local professional skateboarder and snowboarder. O’Connor is very supportive of the ASF all year round and serves as the head coach at the ASF’s skateboard camps during the summer. He is also a member of the leadership group for On Board Initiative, a community group that is trying to get kids in the community interested in the sport of skateboarding and raising funds to build a skatepark in Windham. 

Later in the evening, the ASF hosted the Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup Dinner Dance at Seasons at the Windham Mountain Club base lodge. This party has a different theme each year, and this year’s theme was western. The 125-guest hoedown featured a DJ, dancing, food and fun, complete with old west decorations and the guests donned in their finest western wear. 

The ASF would like to thank every student, parent, volunteer, donor and every other contributor that made the 2024/2025 winter season successful. The ASF’s summer program schedule will be released in the coming weeks. 

About the Ralph Hartman Tribute Cup

Since 1990, the ASF has held an end-of-season race that gives its adaptive skiers and snowboarders the opportunity to show off the skills they learned during the season in an actual race. Ralph Hartman, the man who the race was eventually named after, was a lifelong skier that lost part of his left leg due to a heart condition. One day a discouraged Hartman met ASF founder Gwen Allard, who introduced him to adaptive skiing and revitalized his passion for snow sports. Hartman became a student and ultimately a certified adaptive instructor who also helped gain funding from politicians and sponsors for the ASF.

 

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Broome FD Elects Officers

BROOME - The members of the Town of Broome Volunteer Fire Department earlier this week elected a new slate of officers for the new year.

At the annual election of officers, elected were:

Line officers

* Chief - Nate Trombley.

* 1st Assistant - Mike Kossow.

* 2nd Assistant - Amy Wayaman.

* 3rd Assistant - Jason Wayman.

* Captain - Tony La Torre.

* 1st Lieutenant - Fred Quick.

* 2nd Lieutenant - Vincent Piraneo.

* EMS Captains - Janet Rose, Brian Chichester.

Administrative officers

* President - Amy Wayman.

* Vice President - Dexter Baker.

* Secretary - vacant.

* Treasurer - Jim Chichester.

* Board of Directors - Nate Trombley, Vincent Piraneo, Stan Roseler.

Congratulations to all the incoming officers and thank you for your service to all the outgoing officers.

Also, on behalf of the department and community, they thanked Brian Chichester on the last nine years of dedicated service as Chief.

 

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Conesville to Review Campground Plans

By Matthew Avitabile

CONESVILLE — At the monthly Town of Conesville meeting Tuesday evening, the board discussed several issues in a brief meeting.

Dan Crandall presented a proposed campground project on behalf of resident Eric Dahlberg. He said that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had reviewed a proposal letter and sought the Town as the lead agency for environmental (SEQR) review. The town previously did so on behalf of Dahlberg’s Conesville Country Store.

The stormwater situation looks “very good,” said Crandall and that the location “looks like an ideal site.”

The stormwater review needs to be approved by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to proceed,.

Town Supervisor Bill Federice said that the town would “need some time to go through it.”
Resident Joanne Noone asked if the project had gone through the town Planning Board. The supervisor said that such projects would not necessarily need to but rejected further comment. Noone said that she would send a letter on the topic as the two exchanged words icily.

Town Clerk Carrie Sutton said that there had been two dog licenses, two water district payments, and three sewer district payments in the last week.

Town Code Enforcement Officer Rob Giordano said that “spring is here” and that he anticipated a “busy year” of construction.

Town Tax Collector Laurel Mattice said that there was an increase in property taxes paid over the last month with Federice saying that there was a “big improvement from last month.”

Town Historian Kim Young said that she had been working on property and family history research and wrote an article for the Maple Festival. She said that she was going to two historian conferences.

Town Highway Superintendent Ward Apgar said that the crew plowed and sanded all town roads 21 days in the last month and had “pretty big repairs on plow trucks” in a written report. He said that there were also five culvert pipes that froze up that needed to be thawed out. The town also ordered 400 tons of stone and salt mixture from Heidelberg (formerly Carver) to add to the salt shed, which has mostly been used already. He is also seeking a date for the delivery of the new plow truck.

Town Supervisor Federice said that he was disappointed in the results of the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors vote on a $30 million broadband grant administered through NYS Empire State Development (ESD), stating that he didn’t “have a lot of confidence” in the agency.

He also stated that there were “unforeseen” costs to the project, including a $300,000 fee to ESD and at least $50,000 in insurance each year. The supervisor said that some supporters of the project were doing a “victory lap.”
“Not a good deal,” he said, partially citing that many of the connections would be in areas inhabited by the Amish.

He also reported on the county’s victory regarding alternative energy property valuation. In one case, a solar farm in Sharon saw an 84% reduction in valuation, which would have reduced tax revenue by more than $2 million per year.

Federice said that the county made a “compelling case” in court against the state valuation policy. The lawsuit was funded exclusively by Schoharie County with the participation of all 16 towns.

A judge in Sullivan County agreed with the county even after the state argued its position through the Attorney General’s Office.

“We’re thrilled,” he said. “We were upheld.”

Federice said that the effort stopped an “unconstitutional usurpation” and that the state cannot tell any local government to override the value of land.

“This could be— this will be— appealed,” he added.

At the very least, the effort will set back assessment changes for a year, which the supervisor said was a “big win.”
No other county joined in the suit but are now congratulating Schoharie County. Federice, who also serves as County Board Chair, said that he hoped that some of those counties will assist in fighting an appeal.

He specifically thanked Blenheim Town Supervisor Don Airey for his strong work and seeking a “fair return.”
Separately, the supervisor reported to the board that he budget was in good shape so far this year.

The meeting adjourned after about 25 minutes.

 

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Gilboa Seeks Mowing Bids, Discusses Emergency Response

By Liz Page

GILBOA  –  Members of the Gilboa Town Board approved a resolution in agreement with limiting land acquisition in the West of the Hudson Watershed, discussed allowing town equipment and resources to respond in emergencies to help first responders and will advertise for mowing bids.

With the city of New York agreeing to limit core land acquisition West of the Hudson by no longer soliciting and new core acquisitions in priority, the town of Gilboa is supporting the exception that the city can continue to acquire lands in the priority areas if the request is initiated by the municipality where the subject property is located.

Delaware County has objected to this exception because it opens the door for continued large parcel acquisition in the priority areas, which lasts in perpetuity in direct contrast to the goals supporting the dual mission of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)

The exception would provide a means for landowners who want to sell to the city rather than through more traditional, competitive real estate markets, to exert pressure on local town boards to approve the conveyed land. Such sales benefit the individual property owner at the expense of the overall community.

It is argued there are other land preservation programs and options available to municipalities that are interested in acquiring land for open space preservation and other purposes. Land grants were provided as an example.

The resolution supports Delaware County's objection, according to Supervisor Alicia Terry.

Bill Sharick, a fire commissioner with the Stamford Joint Fire District, was present to discuss an issue that was brought to light recently with responses to assist first responders, whereby the town highway equipment and crews were requested to sand or plow a private roadway or driveway to assist an ambulance to respond to an emergency. Sharick said Headwater EMS responded to a call in the town of Harpersfield and due to an icy driveway was unable to get to the patient. First responders went down on the slippery driveway. The town highway superintendent was called to respond to sand the driveway. This led Harpersfield to consider adopting a  policy that they would not respond, citing insurance and the cost of responding after normal hours.

Supervisor Alicia Terry and Highway Superintendent John Wyckoff both indicated it is not an issue in the town of Gilboa. Their department has been called out to assist other agencies in an emergency and has no issue in continuing to do so. Attorney Joann Crum saw no need for the town to adopt a policy or pass a resolution. 

A bid was awarded to AMZ Construction Company, of Rotterdam Junction, in the amount of $218,500 as the low bid for work on the town's Salt/Sand Shed, which includes the new roof, painting the exterior and replacing damaged bollards and one damaged LDL. The town received six bids ranging from $218,500 to $467,00. After reviewing the bids they award the lowest bidder. AMZ is the same company that did siding and roofing at the highway garage.

A mowing tractor and an equipment trailer will be purchased. The new mowing tractor will replace the town's 1994 John Deere 5400 tractor and 60-inch side mower with 8900 hours. The new tractor will have a cab, allowing the driver shade and air during hot days and cover for rainy days. With the current mower, the operator must stop when it gets too hot or it is raining. The tractor will be purchased under state contract at a cost of $97,000 and is expected to arrive in five or six months. Its purchase was approved.

The Eager Beaver equipment trailer will be replaced with a trade-in from Eklund Farm Machinery. The old one did not sell at the auction, but they will be given the base price for trade in and the new one will be purchased through the Florida Sheriffs Association contract. Cost is $25,000. The new trailer is the same brand and specifications, but is 23 years newer, according to Wyckoff. The purchase was approved.

The town is still seeking someone to run its Summer Youth Program. Anyone interested  may contact Alicia Terry or Town Clerk Linda Wyckoff. 

In her report, Supervisor Terry said the county won another round in its lawsuit and received the formula used by the state to calculate the value of solar and wind projects. She said the county has prevailed, which could mean $3 million to the town of Sharon in terms of assessments.

Board members approved advertising for bids on mowing, which includes the town hall, the town highway garage and several cemeteries. Bids will be awarded at the April meeting.

Board members entered an executive session to discuss health insurance of a former employee.

Board members also approved reaffirmation of its Public Employer Health Emergency Plan.

A representative from NYSEG is expected to be present at the April 14 meeting of the town board to explain increasing rates. 

 

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M'burgh Village Approves Sewer Hook-up, but Won't Extend Lines

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - The Village of Middleburgh added another sewer user last week, but cannot extend sewer lines because of the cost.

At their meeting last Monday, village board members approved a sewer connection for Rob and Jackie Farrell on Grove Street. The village sewer line ends near their home. "The Farrells are connecting to the existing sewer line through their personal property, so there will be no cost to the village," Mayor Tim Knight said

The village reached out to more homeowners on the street and there is interest in connection to the sewer system, but it would be cost prohibitive to the village to extend the sewer lines further up the street, Mayor Knight added.

It would cost about $45,000 to extend the lines another 250 feet, he said. The cost would be for line-set-up and contractors. It would make the most economic sense to extend the sewer line all the way up Gove Street, about 1,000 feet. That work would cost about $200,000. The village cannot afford either extension, the Mayor said.

"The Village is not extending sewer lines at this point on Grove Street, as the cost is prohibitive to fund in-house. We will need to seek state and federal grants," Mayor Knight said.

Village officials have said that more sewer users would lower the cost for the current users.

DPW head Cole Keyser did note that recently the water peaked at 176,000 gallons at the plant, which is rated for 180,000 gallons.

Village did note that the village will have some bonds coming off the books in the next five or six years which will help possibly fund an extension.

The village board is in the process of starting a committee that will help seek grants. 

Board members received a letter in December from the Farrells asking permission to connect to the village sewer system.

 

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