The Mountain Eagle

12/19/25

Rebel Flag, Swastika Banned at MCS

Written By The Mountain Eagle on 12/19/25 | 12/19/25

By David Avitabile

MIDDLEBURGH - A clarification in the Middleburgh Central School dress code has banned the

Confederate flag, the swastika, and pictures of marijuana leaves or plants from clothing.

The clarification was announced at the December 10 meeting of the school board. The dress code covers respectful clothing and no promotion of harmful items, but the clarification was needed, Superintendent Mark Place told school board members.

"We’re always trying to stay ahead of concerns so our students feel safe and supported," Mr. Place said. "In this situation, a student came to us with a concern about the Confederate flag being worn in school. Under the Dignity for All Students Act, we’re required to look into and respond to anything that may involve harassment, intimidation, or discrimination.

"The clarifications I shared at the Board meeting were simply our thoughtful response to that student’s concern. They don’t change the dress code itself, but they help everyone better understand expectations that have been in place for a long time."

Recently, there have been questions regarding the enforcement of the dress code and two specific provisions:

* Respectful Clothing – Don’t wear anything with rude or offensive language or images, especially anything that puts down others based on race, religion, gender, or other personal characteristics.

The clarification added is: "This includes symbols that have been historically used to threaten or show hate toward others, such as the Confederate flag or a swastika."

The state, Mr. Place added, said the two items were identified as "symbols of hate" in a 2021 law.

* Promotion of Harmful Items – Clothing should not advertise alcohol, drugs, or anything violent or illegal.

The clarification added is: "This includes images of marijuana leaves or plants."

The issue was that marijuana is now legal in some situations, the Superintendent said.

Since the alterations were clarifications and not changes to the dress code, no public hearing is required, Mr. Place noted.

A letter will be sent home to parents and guardians to explain the clarifications and will be included in future editions of the dress code and student handbook.

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New Secretary Approved for Middleburgh Planning Board

By Joshua Walther

MIDDLEBURGH - On December 11th, the Middleburgh Town Board heard comments from Mark Ciafardo, a resident that was interested in the vacant Planning Board secretary position.

As members yielded the floor to Mr. Ciafardo, he took the opportunity to speak about his background serving on boards in the Bethlehem and Delmar areas, noting that he’s worked directly with the supervisors and highway superintendents.

“I’m not new to the Board setting,” he said, explaining how he wouldn’t need any adjustment time to fit into his role.

He also elaborated on why he wants to switch to Middleburgh, saying that he and his family have called the town home for just shy of twenty years.

“As I get older, I want to be more involved with what’s going on in my backyard, and I think I can use my experience to make a positive impact,” he noted.

When asked if he could fulfill the duties of a Planning Board secretary, with member Susan Makely warning him that it could become quite intense, Mr. Ciafardo was confident in his abilities.

“I had my own secretary to draft up Board minutes, but I’ve also done them myself when they weren’t present, so I’m not a stranger to that,” he said. “I’m fully dedicated to taking on whatever tasks are given to me.”

As Mr. Ciafardo’s brief overview drew to a close, members found no reason to not offer him the position, with Mrs. Makely saying “I think it’ll be a smooth transition if you follow the current secretary’s footsteps. She’s great, and she’ll teach you a lot.”

After little further discussion, the Board wasted no time in approving Mr. Ciafardo as the Planning Board secretary pending being sworn into office, with an official start date of the turn of the new year.

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Schoharie Business Park Project Delayed

By Joshua Walther

SCHOHARIE - The Schoharie Town Board heard an overview of the Schoharie Business Park engineering project from Mike Harrington of Lamont Engineers last Wednesday evening.

According to Supervisor Ben Oevering, the Town successfully secured approximately 3.3 million dollars in county and grant funding to make improvements to the water and sewer plant located at the far end of the business park.

For over a year, Mr. Harrington has coordinated the project’s progress with the Town, including the introduction of a third sand filter bed to the plant and two test production wells as part of the first phase.

However, he elaborated that their steady momentum has been halted due to recent archaeological conflicts with the areas they’re attempting to modify.

Both the sand filter bed and the furthest well from the plant must be looked into more closely, as archaeological discoveries may be unearthed before the Town begins more extensive work, but the second well is ready to be connected to the plant at any time.

Member James Schultz asked what would happen to the project in the event that relics are uncovered, to which Mr. Harrington explained that it’s unlikely anything would be halted entirely.

“If they discover something, they’d most likely document it and move on,” he said. “It’s very rare that it would stop construction, and even if it does, there’s procedures for everything.”

“None of this is a deal-breaker, it’ll just take a bit of time and money for the work to be done,” he concluded.

Mr. Harrington said that this first phase will be delayed until they’re contacted with permission to keep moving, and when asked about the next step, he said that they’ve drafted a conceptual idea for the wellhouse and have charted out an appropriate area for a water storage tank, with a capacity of 60,000 to 75,000 gallons.

In other news, Supervisor Oevering told the Board that the Town has secured another grant from the county ARPA fund for $70,000.

The money is expressly earmarked for a study to determine if the Town can extend water and sewer from the business park, run it underneath I-88, and bring it to the other side by Zicha Road.

The idea didn’t sit well with member Marion Jaqueway, who thought that the Town would be playing favorites by connecting the properties across the highway and raising their property values.

“We’re just concentrating on one section,” she noted. “We might not be able to get that interest back in any real way.”

Before discussion could arise, Supervisor Oevering explained that the Town already has the grant, and the study is purely to see if the idea is feasible or not, so they could still decide on whether they should actually do it in the future.

With everyone’s hesitation quelled, the Board passed a motion to allow Mr. Harrington and Lamont Engineers to begin the proceedings.

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SCS Pop-Up Coffee Shop a Success

SCHOHARIE - Students from Mrs. Langan’s and Mrs. Hannan’s classes at Schoharie Central School worked together last week to run a fully functioning shop—complete with a delivery service—right out of Mrs. Hannan’s classroom.

Throughout the morning, students practiced valuable real-world skills like taking orders, handling money, making change, and providing great customer service.

A huge thank-you goes out to Middleburgh Coffee Company for generously donating all the beverages, fixings, and their time to come in and serve SCS staff. They are so grateful for their partnership and support. An additional thank-you to The Carrot Barn for donating delicious donuts—what a perfect addition to their menu.

They also recognized the Youth Bureau for their continued support in making special events like this possible. Your time, encouragement, and dedication make such a meaningful difference.

While the day was already pretty amazing, the best part is that all proceeds went directly to the Backpack Program. Thanks to everyone who participated in any way, they are proud to share that they raised $251 to help support this essential program that does so much for SCS students.

Photos courtesy Schoharie Central School.

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SCS Singers at Melodies Chorale

SCHOHARIE - Congratulations to the five Schoharie student vocalists who were selected to participate in this year's ESYO Melodies Chorale.

These students were selected based on their performance at auditions held in September.

Soprano: Ava Cranmer.

Alto: Aven Manning.

Tenor: Corbin Foster.

Bass: Peter Sherer, Zavier Torres.

The ESYO Melodies Chorale combines with the Empire State Youth Orchestra to put on “Melodies of Christmas” at Proctors. Students from all over the Capital Region auditioned to participate and selected students have worked under the direction of Dr. Michael Lister to prepare choral selections as part of the show. Performances at Proctors will be Dec. 18 through Dec. 21.

For over four decades, the CBS 6 Melodies of Christmas show has spread holiday cheer while providing vital support to the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders. This tradition has raised nearly 10 million dollars for the Melodies Center. Congratulations again to the students on this impressive accomplishment.

Photo courtesy Schoharie Central School.

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SCS Solar Project Ready to Come On Line

By David Avitabile

SCHOHARIE - The New Year will be a big one for the solar project at Schoharie Central School.

SCS Superintendent David Blanchard announced at the November school board meeting that the solar project is scheduled to be connected in early January 2026. The final connection will be made once National Grid runs power lines from Route 30 up the side of the school property to the location of the power poles installed by Aris, the contractor in charge of the project. The project could be powered up by the end of January.

"There is still some work to be done, but minimal," Mr. Blanchard said.

The system is 749 KW and the district expects the savings to be around $180,000 per year when it is online, he added

The solar panels have been in for some time and the transformer is in place, but the district was still waiting for a key piece, the switchgear. The long lead time on the solar project was due to delays getting the switchgear. Much of the project was completed by the beginning of the year. The road to the project in the "lower 40" had been installed and significant work by mid-December was done.

The solar field was built on one acre behind the track in the "lower 40." The total cost of the EPC was $2,750,000.

The project is part of the district's $25.9 million building project that was approved by voters in May 2022. The district looked at either putting more solar panels on building roofs or on the back property before making a decision.

National Grid has also provided 90 percent of the cost for the building of the electric vehicles stations, which were also part of the project. Any revenue would go to the district. Each station have two chargers each. The stations were installed last summer and operational by the time school started. Two of the stations were built by the construction area and the rest near the bus garage.

The project does not require any new local taxpayer funds as state aid and the current building reserve will cover the costs.

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Sounds of Christmas at MCS

MIDDLEBURGH - It truly is the most wonderful time of the year at Middleburgh Central School.

What an amazing winter concert at MCS last week. Students delighted on stage — singing beautiful songs and showing off all they’ve learned playing instruments this season. A huge thank-you to dedicated teachers, Mrs. Hudson-Van Flue and Mr. Vella, for helping young musicians grow, learn, and share their talents with us.

Photo courtesy Middleburgh Central School.

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Timeline Firmed up for Richmondville Sewer Project

By Chris English

RICHMONDVILLE _ Town of Richmondville Officials hope to award bids for its $12-13 million sewer improvement project in early April, Town Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun said at the Thursday, Dec. 11 board meeting.

He laid out other elements of the long-anticipated project's timeline, saying design plans will be submitted to the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation before Christmas. That agency is providing a large chunk of the funding for the project via a grant to the town. Richmondville Officials hope to have bids opening in mid-March, Haslun added.

The project will provide public sewer service to a large part of the town, including Warnerville, and hopefully spur economic development, town board members have said.

In a related development at the Dec. 11 meeting, the board voted to take steps to secure about $3 million in grant money from the state Department of Transportation. If the grant comes through, the money will pay for a multi-modal pedestrian path that would run along the new sewer line, and other improvements.

The town has already applied for a $4.5 million grant from the New York Forward program that, if secured, would fund the same improvements. Board members figured it can't hurt to apply for a second grant, but will make no decision on whether to actually apply for the DOT grant until a public hearing on the matter is held, likely in January or February.

"It's worth a try, no guarantee we will get it," Councilman Eric Haslun said of the DOT grant. Jeffrey Haslun mentioned that he has consulted with Brendon Becker, the town's main engineer on the sewer improvement project, and that it seems advisable to go for it. Jeffrey Haslun added that the DOT grant would be a reimbursable one _ meaning that the town would have to advance money and then be reimbursed _ whereas the NY Forward grant would not be a reimbursable one but just a straightforward award.

Also at the meeting, Highway Superintendent Brian Manchester reported that he and his crew have been cutting brush along some roads and will continue when the weather allows. He added that he will continue trying to get a price on a second large plow truck. The board then voted to "get in line" for that truck as delivery is expected to take up to two years.

The town has already ordered and is awaiting delivery on one new plow truck. "The chassis is built. Now it goes to an outfitter and then we wait," Manchester said of that truck.

Jeffrey Haslun said it's important to get the ball rolling on getting a second new truck, given the amount of time it's taking companies to deliver new trucks and other equipment to towns, villages and counties.

"We have two trucks now that don't owe us anything. They've been trustworthy but they're on borrowed time," he said.

Town Clerk-Tax Collector Maggie Smith opened three bids for diesel fuel early in the meeting, and the board a little later decided to stay with Buell Fuels, citing the company's reliable service.

"We've had Buell for years and have had good experiences," Councilman George Horning said.

Jeffrey Haslun said he had a recent conversation with Town Dog Control Officer Jenn Larrabee, who had been considering resigning but has decided to stay on after the conversation.. Also, the board voted to accept "with regrets" the resignation of Hugh Crickmore from the Town Planning Board.

Eric Haslun handed out copies of an article in the Adirondack Express about the Town of Webb's building permit process, and said it was very informational and did a good job of explaining the importance of obtaining proper building permits when they are required. Richmondville is looking at drafting a law setting forth penalties for those who don't obtain required permits.

Obtaining building permits is an essential process because it "ensures construction projects meet safety standards, comply with state and local codes, and protect the health and welfare of the community," the article stated. Haslun and his family have a camp in Webb.

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Town of Richmondville to Pay Emergency Squad $20K in 2026

By Chris English

RICHMONDVILLE _ The Town of Richmondville will contribute $20,000 to the Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad as part of the 2026 contract between the two parties approved by the town board at its Thursday, Dec. 11 meeting.

The document calls for the town to make the payment on or before April 1. Among many other provisions, the four-page contract requires the emergency squad to "furnish general ambulance service within the Town of Richmondville by causing its ambulance or ambulances to promptly respond and attend any and all ambulance calls to which the ambulance is properly called and dispatched from the Town of Richmondville, including the Village of Richmondville."

The emergency squad shall be permitted to accept donations and to conduct fundraising affairs, and shall submit to the town a report of its ambulance calls and its end-of-year financial report. In addition, the ES agrees that it shall file annually with the town an updated list of all its medics, drivers and members of the Board of Directors, and officers and other volunteers.

The Richmondville Town Board at the Dec. 11 meeting also approved the 2026 contract with the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley in Howe's Cave. It calls for the town to pay the shelter $800 next year.

Provisions in the contract include those that require the shelter to "provide and maintain an impoundment facility and make the same available for all dogs seized by the town dog control officer."

Also, the shelter "shall provide an area 24 hours a day/7 days a week where the town DCO can bring the dog immediately upon seizure."

However, "any dog with an obvious injury shall not be left at the shelter when staff is unavailable" but instead "be transported to an emergency veterinarian." In addition "all bite cases and/or possible rabies cases shall not be brought to the shelter but must be taken to and held by a veterinarian's office."

Several resolutions were approved at the meeting. One requires that "anyone paying their real property taxes in cash must pay the exact amount of the tax bill to the one-hundredth of a dollar and the Town Receiver of Taxes shall not accept a different amount."

Town Clerk-Tax Collector Maggie Smith said one reason for adoption of the resolution was the federal government's recent decision to stop minting pennies and the subsequent shortage of those coins.

The board approved a Pro-Housing Community Pledge resolution which endeavors to take the following steps:

"Streamlining permitting for multifamily housing, affordable housing, accessible housing, accessory dwelling units and supportive housing; Adopting policies that affirmatively further fair housing; Incorporating regional housing needs into planning decisions; Increasing development capacity for residential uses; Enacting policies that encourage a broad range of housing development, including multifamily housing, affordable housing, accessible housing, accessory dwelling units and supportive housing."

The resolution cites the housing crisis that is having "negative effects at regional and local levels. We believe that every community must do their part to contribute to housing growth and benefit from the positive impacts a healthy housing market brings to communities."

Town Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun said that adopting the resolution might aid Richmondville in obtaining grants or other funding for housing.

A third resolution approved by the town board adopts the Schoharie County 2024 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update.

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S/J Girls Dominate H-T in League Win

By Rosie Cunningham

JEFFERSON - The Stamford/Jefferson (S/J) girls basketball squad cruised to a 82-36 win over Hunter-Tannersville (H-T) at Jefferson Monday night.

According to S/J Coach George Nebesnik, the contest started off slow.

Early in the second quarter, the score was 28-20 before S/J went on to outscore the Wildcats 46-6 to lead 74-26 after three quarters.

McKenna Hoyt dropped 36 points, pulled down eight boards and had six steals in the victory.

Tierney Turner had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Rose Bevilacqua also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Lillian Eklund had 10 rebounds and six points.

S/J point guard Emily Eklund earned six points, four assists and three steals.

“She only turned the ball over twice,” said Nebesnik. She also hit a long buzzer-beater 3-pointer at the end of the half.”

“Overall, the girls played really well,” he added. “We were a little shaky defensively at first, but early in the second quarter, the defense came around and after allowing 20 points in the first 10 minutes, we held them to just 16 points over the final 22 minutes.”

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S/J Boys Steamroll Sharon Springs in Hoop Victory

By Rosie Cunningham

STAMFORD - Stamford/Jefferson (S/J) boys basketball topped Sharon Springs 69-28 on the road Monday.

Gavin VanEtten and teammate Patrick Terk were offensive forces, each sinking four 3 pointers in the victory for S/J. VanEtten finished the game with 24 buckets, while Terk contributed 23 in the victory.

“Overall, the game went very well,” said S/J Coach Mike Brown. “In the first quarter we were sluggish defensively. After that, we shook the bus legs off and dialed in.”

Brown added that overall, the squad performed well.

“I was able to give some guys a ton of playing time that hadn’t gotten any thus far this year. Everyone did their job when their number was called and it was a good team win,” he said.

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6th Annual Holiday Decorating Raffle in Stamford

STAMFORD — The Stamford NY Business Alliance is proud to announce the: 6th Annual Holiday Decorating Raffle!!!

This year we have shifted to a raffle system rather than a competition like previous years. With over 30 raffle tickets that means more prizes and more winners! We want to personally thank you for your efforts, we couldn't do this without you. Happy Holidays!!

When you sign up you are placed on an interactive map. Anyone can visit the Google Map and drive around enjoying the decorations. That way you can see all of the magical holiday displays! Check out our Holiday playlist on Spotify to listen to while you wander around Stamford's winter wonderland. https://spotify.link/TQ22MnLXvXb

All you have to do is provide us with your name, address, phone number and email to be entered into our Holiday Decorating Raffle!!!

How to Sign Up?

Email: snybamail@gmail.com

QR Code: Scan the QR code on the poster with your phone in camera mode. It will take you to the online registration page. Give it a try!

Happy Holidays!

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The Art for Wellness Program in Stamford

STAMFORD — The new Art for Wellness program at Headwaters Arts Center is a free weekly program connecting creative expression with mindfulness practices. Introducing a creative project every Wednesday between January 14th–Aprilt 8th, at 6–7:30p, the Art for Wellness program will show participants how to explore their creativity, provide self-care, and contribute to a creative community that is supportive and deeply nourishing.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, “simply engaging in creative activities can boost your mental health.” Art for Wellness is designed to help prevent winter isolation and encourage self development for a truly restorative season.

Participants do not need to register or attend all meetings, and all materials and instruction will be provided.

For more information please visit roxburyartsgroup.org or email headwaters@roxburyartsgroup.org.

This program 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.

Painting by Fons Heijnsbroek

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Delaware League Standings

Delaware League Varsity Boys Basketball (12 league games)

Jefferson/Stamford 1-0 1-2

SKCS/Andes 1-0 1-2

HTC 0-0 2-3

Windham 0-0 1-2

Charlotte Valley 0-0 1-3

Margaretville 0-0 0-2

Gilboa Conesville/Roxbury 0-2 1-2

Delaware League Varsity Girls Basketball (8 league games)

Stamford/Jefferson 2-0 3-1

HTC 1-0 3-2

Margaretville 0-0 1-3

SKCS/Andes 0-1 1-4

Gilboa Conesville/Roxbury 0-2 1-5

Delaware League JV Boys Basketball (10 league games)

Gilboa Conesville/Roxbury 2-0 3-1

Charlotte Valley 0-0 1-1

Margaretville 0-0 0-2

HTC 0-0 0-3

Jefferson/Stamford 0-1 0-1

SKCS/Andes 0-1 0-1

Delaware League JV Girls Basketball (8 league games)

Stamford/Jefferson 2-0 4-0

Gilboa Conesville/Roxbury 1-1 4-1

Margaretville 0-0 0-2

HTC 0-1 1-2

SKCS/Andes 0-1 1-3

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Advertising and Subscription Information

Rebel Flag, Swastika Banned at MCS

Written By The Mountain Eagle on 12/19/25 | 12/19/25

New Secretary Approved for Middleburgh Planning Board

Schoharie Business Park Project Delayed

SCS Pop-Up Coffee Shop a Success

SCS Singers at Melodies Chorale

SCS Solar Project Ready to Come On Line

Sounds of Christmas at MCS

Timeline Firmed up for Richmondville Sewer Project

Town of Richmondville to Pay Emergency Squad $20K in 2026

S/J Girls Dominate H-T in League Win

S/J Boys Steamroll Sharon Springs in Hoop Victory

6th Annual Holiday Decorating Raffle in Stamford

The Art for Wellness Program in Stamford

Delaware League Standings

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