Schoharie Announces Next Local Planning Committee Meetings for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI)

SCHOHARIE - The fourth Local Planning Committee (LPC) meeting for the Schoharie Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) will be held on Monday, August 25th from 4:00  - 6:00 PM at 300 Main Street in Schoharie. The LPC will review feedback received from  

the public during outreach events in August and will continue their discussions on  potential DRI projects. All LPC meetings are open to public observers. 

Potential DRI projects were first presented at the LPC meeting on August 4th. The  project ideas were then presented for comment at a public Open House later that same  day. Community members who were unable to attend the Open House were able to share their thoughts on the projects via an online survey between August 5th and August  18th.  

The NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) provides state funding to New York  communities to foster vibrant downtowns. The ultimate goal of the DRI is to fund  projects that will help transform downtowns into places where New Yorkers want to  live, work, and raise families. 

As the Round Eight DRI winner for the Mohawk Valley, the Village of Schoharie receives $10 million in funding from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to develop  and implement a Strategic Investment Plan for the downtown revitalization area. A  Local Planning Committee with community representatives is leading the development  of the Plan, supported by a team of experts.  

A fifth LPC meeting is scheduled for September 29th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at 300 Main  Street. This meeting is expected to focus on the evaluation of potential DRI projects. 

To learn more about public engagement opportunities, the Schoharie DRI program, or  to subscribe to the mailing list, the public can visit  

https://www.villageofschohariedri.com/.

For any questions regarding meeting accessibility, the LPC, or DRI, please contact New  York State Department of State (DOS) Project Manager Stefan Lutter at  Stefan.Lutter@dos.ny.gov. 

-----END RELEASE----- 

-##- 

About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative:  

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand  the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to  serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of  State with assistance from Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community  Renewal, NYSERDA, and NYS Department of Transportation, the DRI represents an  unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning  with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that are a  key ingredient to helping New York State rebuild its economy from the effects of the  COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to achieving the State's bold climate goals by promoting  the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles. Through eight  rounds, the DRI will have awarded a total of $900 million to 89 communities across  every region of the State. 

Participating communities are nominated by the state's 10 Regional Economic  Development Councils based on the downtown's potential for transformation. Each  community is awarded $10 million to develop a downtown strategic investment plan and  implement key catalytic projects that advance the community's vision for revitalization  and leverage additional private and public investments. 

More information on the DRI is available at www.ny.gov/programs/downtown revitalization-initiative.

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Schoharie Mural Pushed Off Again

By Joshua Walther

SCHOHARIE - Another month passes by, and that means another round of complications for the Schoharie Town Board in regards to the proposed mural for the side of the town office building.

The suggestion was first brought forth last year by Darlene Patterson of the Schoharie Promotional Association, who said that she was in contact with a local artist that could paint a mural to promote tourism and welcome people into the Town.

However, as time has gone by, the Board has run into numerous problems, including a crumbling facade that won’t hold paint, issues with their scope of work for repairs, and more.

Last month, they hired Lamont Engineers to design their scope of work to stabilize the wall for the mural, and now that thirty days of advertising the project has gone by, members are staggered by the bid amounts they’ve received.

The lowest bid came out to be $58,900 to repair the one wall, and Supervisor Ben Oevering explained that the price came on a sliding scale. If the project demanded less, they would pay less, and vice versa.

Yet even with that reassurance, that was a price point the Town could not meet. “This is way higher than we first thought,” said member Clinton Manchester, a sentiment shared by the rest of the Board.

Breaking down their available finances, Supervisor Oevering said that they had $10,000 stashed away in a building reserve fund, and they had a small amount more that’s unallocated, but the Town is already over-budget on several items like highway for this year.

He noted that the Town had the ability to reject all bids and send them back out for another thirty days, which may garner different companies with different prices. However, the delay would set the project back until spring of next year.

Member Marion Jaqueway held her own concerns with delaying the bids. “If we do that, then the cost is going to be way higher than $60,000,” she said.

And yet, the decision was practically made for the Board. “We gotta wait because we just don’t have the money,” Mr. Manchester explained.

With everyone in reluctant agreement, the Board moved to allocate $60,000 to this project for the next budget cycle and pushed the bids off until the new year.

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

SCHOHARIE COUNTY SIMPLIFIES RECYCLING

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — Residents of Schoharie County benefit from Zero-Sort Recycling®, a system that allows them to place all recyclable materials—including paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals—into one bin. Commonly known as “single-stream recycling,” this method eliminates the need to sort materials at home. While simplifying the process has boosted participation, we still need your help to ensure recyclables are clean and ready for handling.

There is a common misconception that “zero-sort” means mixing trash and recyclables. That is NOT the case, as Zero-Sort® is for RECYCLABLES ONLY. This confusion is often reinforced when people see garbage trucks collecting both trash and recycling. However, many of these trucks have a split-body design meant to keep materials separated. 

When recyclables are collected from the Schoharie County Transfer Station, they are transported to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for sorting. The recycling process begins with MRF workers manually removing non-recyclable items or materials that could damage the sorting equipment. The remaining recyclables then go through a series of screens, magnets, fans, and optical sensors that separate paper, plastic, metal, and glass into their respective categories. Once sorted, the materials are baled and shipped to a recycling facility, where they are turned into new products. 

Many single-use items cannot be recycled, including toilet paper, paper towels, and baby or adult diapers. Other items—such as plastic silverware, straws, bottle caps, and K-cups—are too small to be sorted. Additionally, containers that are not rinsed and dried before disposal may be considered contaminated or non-recyclable. ELECTRONICS can be recycled free of charge year-round at the Schoharie County Transfer Station. 

 Please visit the NEW Schoharie County website for more information and videos explaining the Zero-Sort® process: http://www.schohariecounty-ny.gov/. 

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Sweet Sounds Fill Schoharie

SCHOHARIE - The sounds of the band The Red Wagon filled downtown Schoharie Friday night.

The band played in front of the county building. The concert was sponsored by the Schoharie Promotional Association.

The next concert will be in Schoharie on Friday evening from 7 to 9p with the band 5 Zero and the Fair Street Horns performing.

Photos by David Avitabile.

 

                                    The band The Red Wagon performed in Schoharie Friday.

 

                            Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church provided the refreshments.

 

                        Darlene Patterson and Diana Bell Jackson sold the raffle tickets Friday.

 

 

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

A Great Talk

Professors Bob & Johanna Titus gave a rousing talk on Sunday at the Gilboa Museum about the Hudson River School to a (nearly) full house.  Bob pointed out what the guys got right in their paintings, as well as what they added for effect that could never have been there, geologically speaking. Johanna presented the women artists whose work was as stirring as that of the more famous male painters of their era.

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Fun, Raffles, and Vendors at 3rd Annual Dog Days of Summer - Saving Animals in Need, One Life at a Time

 Cindy Monaco with Aster, an adoptable dog

 

Cosmos with his foster family

 

Six of the current Safe At Last adopable dogs. (From the left) Yoko, Lupine, Dahlia, Astro, Cosmo, and Jack Jack 2

 

By Lei Rowan

MIDDLEBURGH – Safe at Last (SAL) hosted its 3rd annual Dog Days of Summer on Saturday at the Middleburgh Winery. The non-profit rescue is dog focused, occasionally taking in a cat. A variety of vendors set up at the event. SAL alumni dogs along with 7 current fosters eligible for adoption all made an appearance. A raffle was hosted, with 25 different prizes to try to win. 

SAL began in September of 2009, founded by Cindy Monaco. She works in tandem with Lisa Connor, the North Carolina coordinator who takes in dogs, helps find fosters down south and then sorts out transportation for rescue dogs coming to New York. Monaco and SAL team member Jillian Smith search for eligible fosters and forever homes for each and every dog up north. Applications and references are required to foster and adopt to ensure that the dogs are going to quality, loving homes that help them thrive. The rescue is a non-profit 501c3 organization and receives no state or federal funding; SAL runs on adoption fees, community donations, and dedicated volunteers.

The rescue has seven current fosters eligible for adoption: Nora, a 9-month-old spayed female retriever/German shepard/LGD mix, Jack Jack, a 9-month-old neutered male chihuahua/corgi mix, Yoko, a 5-month-old Australian shepard/German shepard/spaniel mix, along with Cosmos, Aster, Lupine, and Dahlia, which are 18-week-old Australian shepard/hound mixes from the same litter. Cosmos and Aster are male, Lupine and Dahlia are female. 

Cosmos, Aster, Lupine, and Dahlia were rescued very young and needed extra care when initially rescued in North Carolina. SAL held them back to ensure they were healthy before adoption. Initially shy and skinny, they have all gained weight and have bounced back to happy, curious pups ready for their forever homes with proper care from SAL. They all enjoyed partaking in a meet and greet during Dog Days of Summer.

Nora, Jack Jack, Yoko, and the four newest pups came to Dog Days of Summer, along with many SAL alumni, including Harvey and Maggie (formerly known as Valoree), who are siblings. Harvey and Maggie are happily settling in with their new families. SAL members enjoyed seeing all the alumni return for summer fun, stating it was like a family reunion to see the dogs living wonderful lives with their forever families. 

At the event, people were welcome to bring pets as long as they were well-behaved and up to date on their rabies and distemper vaccinations. Water bowls, kiddie pools, shade, and poo bags were provided throughout the venue at the Winery. 

Raffle tickets sold at a dollar per piece, and a free ticket was given to people who bought from vendors and/or had an alumni dog from SAL. All prizes were donations from the community. “People were so generous with all these amazing donations,” Monaco stated. Prizes were called in intervals. 

Dog Days of Summer hosted a lot of fun, including  promoting the adoptable dogs. While the rescue is appreciative of prospective adopters, before deciding to adopt, Cindy Monaco advises “Realistically look at your lifestyle, understand the financial commitment and time commitment, from training and socialization and day-to-day meeting the needs of the animal. If you can’t meet their needs and commit to them for their whole lives, don’t adopt.” 

Dog Days of Summer had a large turn-out. Tonda and Don Dunbar, owners of the Middleburgh Winery, came up with the idea and offered to host the annual event after fostering several dogs and recently adopting Ziva from SAL. “We are beyond grateful to Tonda and Don for their amazing support of the rescue and for always welcoming the dogs to visit at the Winery,” said rescue member Jillian Smith. 

Cindy Monaco is “very thankful for the incredible community and, of course, for anyone who is willing to welcome a rescue dog into their heart and home.” SAL also extends a huge “Thank you” to the Middleburgh Winery for continuing to host the rescue’s events. All available dogs are listed on the Safe at Last website.

For more information, visit https://safeatlast.rescuegroups.org/ or contact info@safeatlast.net

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Senior Fun Day in Delhi

                                                                           Exhibitor Tent.

                            Food tent with dinner music by Bob Mesmer. Photos by Gretchen Balcom.

Usan Hammerslag - Make your Own Herb Garden at Senior Fun Day sponsored by Office for the Aging in Delhi.
 

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Bloomville House to be Trial for Transitional Housing

By Liz Page

BLOOMVILLE  – An update on the use of a county-owned home in the hamlet of Bloomville as a homeless shelter for men isn't going away, but town officials said they are attempting to work with the county's Department of Social Services and Delaware Opportunities to place residents in the home who are looking to improve their lives. 

Delaware County Social Services Commissioner Kieth Weaver and Shelly Bartow, executive director of Delaware Opportunities, were not able to answer questions regarding the cost of the collaborative transitional housing plan, they said, due to the complicated and numerous funding streams that are being  merged for the project. After the project has been going for a while, Bartow said, she would be able to answer the question. 

The plan is to use the home for a transitional program and provide the resources needed and give occupants the skill sets, transportation and other items they need, utilizing county programs, to be successful. Bartow called it a unique agreement apart from the DSS shelter in Delhi. It will have the flexibility that if the residents are not meeting expectations, they will go back to the shelter in Delhi. The occupants of the home will have a team of people working with them to help them get "back on their feet". They are hoping to have an agreement in place by October.

Kortright residents are concerned that  continuing to house homeless men in the Bloomville home could lead to a similar incident that occurred in 2024, which led to drug arrests and a concern over safety of the community, including the day care across the street and a nearby playground area. Residents had complained about the men housed in the home prior to the incident and believe the county was not responsive to their concerns. It has been empty since. Now, Weaver and Bartow are promising to keep the community in the loop. They will return to the town board meeting again in November.

The home is owned by the county and Bartow and Weaver have indicated the county is unlikely to sell it, although community residents have offered to buy the home that was originally used as a foster home.  Bartow indicated that the program is no longer working and it will remain a homeless shelter.

The plan is to vet the residents who will be housed there, starting with just three residents, who will be looking to find jobs and attending programs to help get their lives back on track. "Ideally, those without disabilities, who are capable, would get a job," said Weaver. Transportation would be provided by the county. Bartow said this should cost less than the continued revolving door with county programs. She said 50 percent is the most that could be reimbursed to the county. 

Bartow has promised to be responsive and will be involved in the placements.

Residents remain concerned and want the specifics of costs and who will be housed there. The home can hold up to seven occupants and if it is needed for emergency shelter, it will be. The county DSS is obligated to find housing for the homeless, said Bartow. The numbers increase as the temperature falls and adult men make up  the overwhelming majority of the homeless population in the county, which Bartow described as a serious problem.

Diane Lutz said it made more sense to house a homeless family in the larger home and put three men in a smaller home. However, Bartow said there are many more resources available to families. 

When all was said and done, it will still be an emergency shelter and it will not be limited to three. Weaver said it does not matter where it is located, there is a stigma about being homeless. "It is part of the hurdle and is present no matter what community you go into. It could be anyone. It could be your brother, your parents. Anyone can fall on hard times and if you came up with less than an excellent upbringing, it's harder," he said.

Bartow said those placed in the Bloomville home will sign an agreement that they must abide or be removed. "We have agreed to start small," said Bartow, and added that the plan has never been to limit it to just three.

Lynn Pickett said the idea of the program is great, but she doesn't believe they have all their "ducks in a row" before launching the program. "We have to try. It is our chance to try it on a small scale. It's an ongoing two-way dialog  with the community and it is important in order to help it be successful," said Bartow.

Residents  of the small hamlet remain skeptical and John Rockefeller asked town board members why they didn't ask questions or give any push back. Supervisor George Haynes said, "There is little we can do. The county is going to use it, so we may as well make it the best we can, rather than fight every step of the way. We are not thrilled with it either."

In other business: The town highway crew will be sealing Bloomville Hill Road and preparing to pave at the sand shed. Supervisor Haynes said the budget worksheets have been passed out and the town board needs to consider the purchase of a pair of used trucks from the town of Cazenovia, to upgrade the fleet and cut down on repair costs. He estimated the cost of the trucks at $200,000 each.  The town will likely have to bond for the purchases. He said a  major water leak has been found and repaired, drawing 80,000 gallons from the tank. The boil water notice has been lifted and everything is back in good shape. A survey of the town's property which has existing water wells and  possible potential for a new well is awaiting a report back from U.S. Geological Service testing. Board members approved a five-year plowing and sanding contract with county DPW.

Supervisor Haynes said the budget will be the focus of the next meeting on September 15 and believes the town can keep the budget within the allowable tax cap.

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Clean Sweep 2025 to be Held October 10 & 11

DELHI — Every year, regional partners for clean water and a healthy environment host a community hazardous waste collection day, known as Clean Sweep. Now in its 29th year, Clean Sweep provides a safe disposal venue by collecting chemicals and other materials which pose a threat to public health, water and environment.

Clean Sweep is free to farmers in the eight NYC Watershed counties and free to all Delaware County household residents. Delaware County businesses, municipalities and county agencies are also invited to properly dispose of waste materials. Disposal services for businesses and municipalities are provided "at cost" with a cost estimate based on your itemized disposal list.

Register online at cleansweepdelaware.eventbrite.com by October 1st. If you prefer to register by phone call (607) 865-6474 between September 16th-October 1st, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or register by email to CleanSweepDelaware@gmail.com to share your list of items; you’ll be assigned a day and time to bring your items. This public service is brought to you by the Delaware County Department of Public Works and the Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC), with funding from Delaware County, WAC, NYC DEP and NYS DEC.

Clean Sweep 2025 schedule is:

Businesses & Municipalities: Friday, October 10th from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Farmers: Friday, October 10th from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Residents: Saturday, October 11th from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

SENTENCE IN VILLAGE OF WALTON PETIT LARCENY CASE

WALTON — Delaware County District Attorney Shawn J. Smith announced that Jason Coffey, 28, of Sidney appeared before the Honorable Judge Chad Hall on August 18, 2025, in the Village of Walton Court and pleaded guilty to one count of Petit Larceny, a Class A Misdemeanor.  As a result of the conviction, the Honorable Chad Hall sentenced the defendant to 364 days in jail as well as paying fines to the Court.  

On May 5, 2024, Coffey entered the Dollar General in the Village of Walton and was observed by staff stealing an item out of the cooler.  Coffey was in the Dollar General again on May 21, 2024, and was again observed stealing an item out of the cooler. Coffey was subsequently arrested for both crimes by the Village of Walton Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brett Cowen.

Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith commended Investigator Kathryn Mitchell and the Walton Police Department for their work in this case.  “Coffey has committed a string of crimes in our county recently.  Despite being arrested on more than one occasion, the defendant continued to commit crimes.  This one-year jail sentence will hopefully deter that illegal conduct.”

Shawn J. Smith

District Attorney

Delaware County

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD

Enchantment, Foraging and Bookmaking Workshop with Kathleen Sweeney at Kirkside Park

Saturday, September 6, 2025, 10a–1p

Kirkside Park, Kirkside Drive, Roxbury, NY, 12474

For tickets and information go to:  www.roxburyartsgroup.org or reach out to  headwaters@roxburyartsgroup.org 

On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the Roxbury Arts Group is offering a unique opportunity for community members to forage for art materials and make their own writing journals in a workshop led by artist Kathleen Sweeney. This workshop, held at Kirkside Park in Roxbury NY will begin at 10am with a guided garden walk to forage for natural art materials which will be used later in the day for creative writing exercises. This workshop is offered with tiered equity pricing at $20–$60. Visit roxburyartsgroup.org for more information and to register. 

Drawing on her recent publication The Book of Awe, teaching artist Kathleen Sweeney will help participants explore creative writing and awe walks in nature.  Participants will use the natural materials gathered to create unique, hand-sewn collage books. Birch bark, wildflower pigments, lichen and fungi will be woven into one-of-a-kind art objects. Rice paper, silk thread, botanical inks and writing materials will be provided. 

Kathleen Sweeney, a multimedia artist, educator and curator, relocated to the Catskills in 2021. Recent exhibitions include Roxbury Arts Group, Termite TV, 1053 Gallery, ArtUp! and AMR Open Studios. She recently published The Book of Awe: Wandering and Rewilding with funding from Delaware County Arts Council. An assistant professor of Media Studies at The New School/Parsons, her projects have been funded by NEA, NYSCA and Ford Foundation. Upcoming  curatorial projects include The Symbiocene Era (Bushel Collective, opening October 25, 2025, 4-7pm).

This event is sponsored by Margaretville Telephone Company. All programs offered by the Roxbury Arts Group are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature, the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, the Tianaderrah Foundation, The Delaware National Bank of Delhi, and individual supporters.

 

 

Remember to Subscribe!

Subscription Options

One Year $50.00 USD Six Months $30.00 USD One Year with Insider Newsletter $75.00 USD