Summit Discusses Possible Facebook Page

By Karen Cuccinello

SUMMIT — The June board minutes and supervisor's report were approved at the regular July meeting of the Summit Town Board. 

The assessor and dog control officers report was mentioned.

Historian, Karen Cuccinello, reported that she will hand deliver the 1820-1830 town minutes to NY Genealogical and Biographical Society for digitization next week, will be doing a Charlotteville town tour at the August 3 Charlotteville Community Day, has been receiving old farm photos from a few families for the upcoming Summit Farms book, found a veteran in Summit Cemetery that had not previously been recognized and received two 1770 patents of Summit from NYS library.

Code Enforcement Officer, Jesse Wilcox, reported that he is keeping up with open permits, made seven fire inspections on STR's, handled two complaints and handed out two new building permits.

John Foote reported that there has been no activity in the planning board or zoning board of appeals. The comprehensive plan public hearing is set for August 15 during the regular meeting at 7:15pm.

Floor open to the public.

Someone wondered why the town was concerned about the chalk and paint graffiti on Charlotte Valley Rd. when it is a county road. Supervisor Vroman stated it is still in the town, is illegal and taxpayers end up paying the bill to clean it up.

Inquiry about getting a load of sand or crusher run stone on the boat launch/beach on Sawyer Hollow Rd. The Supervisor will ask the highway superintendent.

Mentioned the potholes are terrible on Charlotte Valley Rd./High St. The Supervisor will ask County Highway.

Discussion about town Facebook Page. Christine Gausas mentioned she can get it all set up then turn it over to town employee admins. Jesse Wilcox will consider being an admin if there are one or two others on board. Suggested that the clerk or assistant clerk could be admins; they declined. Christine talked to the Middleburgh Village Mayor Timothy Knight about their Facebook page and will look into how other local towns handle their Facebook pages. Tabled until August meeting.

Supervisor Vroman reported that “no passing” signs have been posted on Bear Gulch Rd.

Board member Shafer reported there was no regular revitalization meeting in July but there was a Local Law subcommittee meeting.

Clerk VanValkenburgh reported that the archives grant should be concluded next week.

Supervisor Vroman proposed a resolution to charge $30 for any checks submitted to the town that have insufficient funds and to require cash or a bank check for future payments from persons who submit bad checks. The resolution was voted on and carried.

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THE CATSKILL GEOLOGISTS BY PROFESSORS ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS - The Devil’s Kitchen – Part Two

Last week we visited the “Devil’s Kitchen” along Plattekill Creek. That’s a very scenic stretch of the creek that reaches up to the very top of the Catskill Front. We visited one of the many waterfalls that are found along the creek, and we looked into its past. This area has been in the news lately as there are plans to restore the picturesque old stone bridge that is there. This week let’s go to that old stone bridge. It lies just a quarter mile or so east of the nearby old red cabin. The state has built a parking lot close by. If you park there then you can get out and find your way downhill and see a lot more beautiful landscape with some interesting geology. That speaks to us a lot more about the geological history here. Take a look at our photo.

                                             

A small tributary stream flows beneath that stone bridge. It has cut a deep rugged canyon right here. Look at that bedrock wall. It is vertical and very smooth and flat. It catches your attention, doesn’t it? It certainly needs some explanation. This is a special type of fracture that is called a geological joint. It has been described as something that occurred a quarter of a billion years ago, probably when Africa collided with North America. It took a while, but part of the deformation caused by this collision was this special type of fracturing. The bedrock throughout the Catskills was compressed but that did not deform it much. It was not the compression that rendered this rock unstable; it was expansion. And that was when Africa backed away. The compression was released, and the rock expanded. That’s when the joint fractures spontaneously appeared. We would like it if you took a good look at this image and remember to keep an eye out for more of these throughout the Catskills. These joint planes are relatively common. 

They are also significant in the development of this beautiful site. For our purposes today, the important thing to know is that these joints played a big role in developing much of the jagged landscape up here at the top of Plattekill Clove. Those joints served as weak points in the mountain bedrock. Erosion is a process that is concentrated along streams. When Plattekill Creek was eroding and sculpting this landscape, it could focus on these joint planes of and that helped shape the rugged, almost vertical landscape up there. It must have been equally or even more effective when the glaciers were doing their work in this region. All in all, the result was this remarkable mountainous landscape, a landscape of cliffs.

We frequently try to give you a good excuse to go out and enjoy some of our fine scenery and our two most recent columns have been typical of those efforts. But the other excuse is that we will return here in each of the next several columns and learn more about the Devil’s Kitchen. There is a lot to learn here.

Contact the authors at randjtitus@prodigy.net. Join their facebook page “The Catskill Geologist.” Read their blogs at “thecatskillgeologist.com.”

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Music on the Belle Kicks into Full Gear

Abraham Cruz is visiting Belleayre from North Carolina. His corn hole skills were extraordinary 

Friends Caro, Michele, and Pamela having a blast at Music on the Belle 

Significantly more attendees at the 2nd season of Music on the Belle

All fun on a Friday evening at the Belleayre music series with the Third Rail band 

By Robert Brune

HIGHMOUNT — Belleayre Mountain’s free music series attracted a tremendous crowd on a beautiful evening to be outdoors in the Catskills. The Third Rail is a rock and roll cover band from Lambertville, NJ who had visitors dancing and others relaxing on the hill overlooking the main Discovery Lodge. The patio was packed with folks getting their groove on to the fun music with not a single empty picnic table or chair to be found. Belleayre marketing director Joe McCracken, “Entering its second year, our free Music on the Belle summer concert series continues to grow in popularity. This summer we enhanced the experience with the addition of a food truck village, offering a ‘dinner and show’ vibe. It’s been fantastic to see the community come together each week.” 

General manager of Belleayre Mountain Bruce Transue was excited to see a record number of attendees for their Friday night music program. Transue also expressed that he is pleased with the progress of the current renovations to the ski rental center and food court area which will be ready for the 2024/2025 ski season. McCracken is proud to announce some of the details of the renovations, “We’re excited to announce another busy summer season focused on mountain improvements. We’re adding a 28,600 square foot expansion to the Discovery Lodge, installing 20 fully automated snow Gunson Dot Nebel, adding 30,000 ft of snowmaking pipe, and relocating our beginner learning area to the summit of the mountain.” All these improvements are fully intended to enhance the guest experience and ensure Belleayre Ski Center continues to be a top destination. 

Belleayre mountain has also partnered up with Peace Love and Yoga Catskills out of Roxbury to hold yoga sessions on Sundays through September at the mountain ski center, the price of the class includes a gondola ride. This coming Friday July 26, the band Soul Purpose will be performing classic and contemporary soul, funk, and swing from 6 pm – 9 pm. On August 3, Belleayre will be hosting a Season Pass Beach Party Bash for 2024/2025 passholders with food trucks, DJ, and lawn games. For more information see www.belleayre.com

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Sung Locally - Catskills Summer Songs

By Bradley Towle

Summerin' in the Catskills, baby
Singin' just for the thrill
Everyone knows all about you, don't they?
You're doin' it for the thrill

So opens the song “Mean Streets” from the Colorado pop duo Tennis. The song is the band’s tribute to the late singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, who had grown up in the “mean streets” of the Bronx. Nyro had been a musical prodigy, writing her first song at only eight years old. She often accompanied her father in the summers to the Catskills, where he played trumpet at the many resort hotels. Rural life remained appealing to Nyro, who attempted to retire from music at 24 and work as a housepainter in Massachusetts, but Nyro would never choose the Catskills as her home. She ultimately returned to music and passed away at the age of 49 from ovarian cancer in her Danbury, Connecticut home. “Mean Streets” plays like a fun pop song, and the video depicting dancing cowboys plays up the fun with no reference to the late Laura Nyro. Still, the lyrics tap into the pressure Nyro felt during her career, her discomfort with fame, and the freedom she experienced “summerin’ in the Catskills” as a child juxtaposed against it all. 

The band Florist describes itself as a “friendship project that was born in the Catskill Mountains.” Two of its founding members, Emily Sprague and Rick Spataro met while living in Albany. The band pays tribute to the Catskill region on its 2015 EP Holdy on the song “Cool and Refreshing.”

 think of me by the creek in cut-off jeans

 holding onto something that has meaning to me 

I don't really think my life will ever make me

 as happy as Kaaterskill Creek

The cover for Holdy certainly looks like a shot from somewhere in the Catskills. While the EP was recorded in Brooklyn, Florist recorded their first album in a rented Hudson Valley home. While “Cool and Refreshing” may specifically mention The Catskills, most of Florist’s songs conjure peaceful Catskill escapes, something Laura Nyro may have appreciated. 

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A Conversation About: ragweed and goldenrod

By Jean Thomas

Ah, the wonder of the summer/fall allergies. The old timers used to call it “rose fever” or “hay fever.” The classic sneezing, sniffling headachey feelings from old fashioned allergies. Too much pollen resulting in “sinus face” and sunglasses to cut the glare of the sun. In this wonderfully advanced age we can consult with allergists to the extent our insurance allows and be diagnosed with specific allergies. But most of us just find an over the counter remedy to combat the symptoms because we know the malady is seasonal and will go away fairly soon.

Today I want to talk about one of the biggest injustices in the plant world. Since I can’t remember when, goldenrod has taken the blame for the allergy suffering. While I am no fan of goldenrod as a botanical citizen, it’s getting a bum rap. More and more of us are recognizing the true culprit, ragweed. It ranks high on my list of sneaky villains. Let’s look at the biography of each plant.                                                                 Goldenrod is a perennial whose formal name is solidago. It is native to North America and there are about 150 species. Most have distinctive golden spikes of flowers in the Fall. They are a popular choice for perennial and native gardens and meadows and fields are full of them. Obviously they produce massive numbers of flowers… each spike is composed of hundreds of individual tiny flowers. Which produce lots and lots of seeds, which spread over a large area, aided by the birds.  BUT their pollen is not a great allergen. Goldenrod pollen is not distributed on the wind. It is distributed by bees and other insects, including Monarch butterflies, BTW. It is possible to be allergic to goldenrod pollen, but actual physical contact is required.

I have to admit I respect and admire Ragweed. It is sneaky and subtle, and its formal name is just as sneaky. Scientists know it as Ambrosia. Talk about false advertising. When something is compared to the food of the gods in its name, don’t you automatically think it’s probably something yummy?   There are about fifteen main varieties of this native annual, differing mostly in size. The cleverness of this plant lies in the fact that it doesn’t make flowers that we would recognize as flowers. They are green and look more like seed pods than flowers. Nobody has ever said of a ragweed plant, “look at the pretty flowers.” Their success lies in the fact that they are so green and boring. The leaves are kind of lacy and harmless looking. They keep the best part of their success quiet. Their pollen is windborne and one giant ragweed plant is said to easily produce up to a billion pollen grains. That’s a thousand million. Per plant. And that’s not all…they start flowering when they’re just babies.  With that kind of fertility, seed production is a pretty sure thing, continuing the cycle of torture.  Internet rumor has it that up to one in five of us is allergic to ragweed. I prefer to call my allergy “rhinitis.” So much more elegant. Try it; it may make you feel better. And if you like, you can learn more about both of these fascinating plant families by listening to “Nature Calls, Conversations from the Hudson Valley”, episode 123. Here’s a link. https://ccecolumbiagreene.org/gardening/nature-calls-conversations-from-the-hudson-valley/episode-123-weeds-of-the-northeast.  The guidebook discussed in the episode is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

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Whittling Away with Dick Brooks - Directions

I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person with a pleasant easy going personality but I will admit to one male characteristic that seems to universal among those of us of the male persuasion.  I don’t like following directions.  If I have something that needs to be assembled I rarely look at the directions, I’ve put lots of things together and I know how to use a screwdriver so I lay out the parts, look at the picture of the completed object on the box it came   in and it’s easy to figure out how the parts go together.  Most of the things I put together work, some of them reasonably well.  True, some of them make funny noises and you have to turn the switch on the blender to “Off” if you want to get it to run and then switch it to “On” to turn it off.  A minor problem, after using it for a couple of weeks, you don’t even think about it anymore.  I do keep all the instructions in a drawer with all the warrantees that I have to send in someday.  I didn’t buy the thing to break down so I probably won’t need them anyway.  A lot of the directions are misleading anyway.  “Easy to assemble using simple hand tools” should be followed by “and an engineering degree”.  I also hate to ask for directions when traveling to unfamiliar places.  First of all, I’m uncomfortable because I don’t know where the bathrooms are, being a senior citizen, I know the location of every bathroom within a radius of thirty or forty miles of my home base.  This is my comfort zone, being in the “I don’t know where to go” zone makes me nervous.  The Queen always makes silly suggestions like, “Why don’t you ask that nice man walking his dog?”  I don’t know the guy.  He could be a serial killer and his ten pound companion looks vicious.  Besides I’m not really lost, I’m pretty sure what county we’re in and usually am pretty sure which state we’re in.  I got one of those GPS things but I don’t like some lady I don’t know telling me what to do.  “Turn right in half a mile, turn right in a quarter of a mile, turn right in 100 ft.”  It gets me all tensed up, how do I know there’s even a road that goes off to the right.  Suddenly there’s the road to the right but I miss it because I’ve been too busy listening to the lady in the box.  She never says, “Sorry”  no, she says, ‘recalculating” in kind of a snotty way that infers that she’d like to add “Dummy!”.  She then starts telling me how to turn around.  Going backward doesn’t seem like progress to me.  I figure if I keep driving around long enough, I’ll get where I want to go so I turn the lady off and start looking for a bathroom.

Thought for the week-Older males don’t need directions, everyone’s always telling us where to go anyway.

Until next week, may you and yours be happy and well

Whittle12124@yahoo.com

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Gilboa Naturalist Fossil Tree Descendants Hike Aug. 3

Fossil Tree Descendants Hike

Saturday, August 3, 10:00 a.m.

 $5 per person or $10 per family

Identification of Mosses, Ferns and Club Moss will be led by Trista Shultes of Gardens by Trista. Kristen Wyckoff will compare the Devonian Fossil trees to these primitive plants.

Meet at the Gilboa Museum 10:00 (please come 10-15 minutes early to register). We will be driving to the site in Gilboa promptly at 10:00.

The hike is on an old logging trail with a steady incline for about a mile.

Hot dogs will be served after the hike and then we’ll hike a mile back downhill.

Please contact Kristen Wyckoff if you are interested in participating.

607 437 7132 or Kristen.wyckoff@yahoo.com

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Obituary - Carol Murray

Carol A. Murray, 67, of Grand Gorge, N.Y., passed away peacefully on Friday, July 19th 2024. 

Carol was born January 6, 1957 in Catskill, N.Y., the daughter of Raymond Schmid and Mildred (Chase) Schmid. She graduated from Hunter-Tannersville Central School in 1975 and married her husband, Tom Murray of Grand Gorge, in 1979. After staying at home to raise their three daughters, Carol went to work with Tom at Red's Auto Supply in Prattsville until they both retired in October of 2022.

Carol was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, always putting her family first. When she wasn't spending time with her family she enjoyed gardening, crafting, reading, and was a member of the Grand Gorge Auxiliary. She is survived by her loving husband, Tom; her three daughters Sabrina (Keith) Brown, Bridget (Chad) Loucks, Heather (Jake) Murray; grandchildren Addison, Cheyenne, Chad, Oliver, Adelin and Audrey; sister Debbie (Tom) Brooks and brother Ray Schmid; stepmother Theresa Schmid; mother-in-law Laura Murray; sisters-in-law Lin (Hank) Gockel and Joyce (Dan) Peckham; and many nieces and nephews. Carol was predeceased by her parents, Ray and Millie. 

Calling hours will be held July 29th from 4pm to 6pm at Miller Funeral Home in Roxbury, services to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Grand Gorge Rescue Squad. 

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ASF To Host WIM Mountain Biking Event Next Week

WINDHAM — The Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF) is set to host its Warriors in Motion® (WIM) mountain biking event next week from Tuesday, July 30-Thursday, August 1. 

Six retired U.S. military veterans are expected to attend next week’s event, including army veteran Matt Garrad, who has participated in WIM programs before, but this will be his first time mountain biking with the ASF. “I’ve been on a bike two times in the last month, which equates to biking two times in several years,” Garrad said with a laugh. “I really enjoy the activity itself, but I’m most looking forward to spending time with other veterans. I love doing strenuous activities but doing them with other people makes it more enjoyable.”

Garrad and the five other warriors are scheduled to arrive at the Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center on Tuesday around noon. They will meet with the ASF staff and volunteers and enjoy a lunch before getting fitted for their bikes and safety equipment. Once everyone is comfortable with their ride, the WIM group will head to CD Lane Park in Maplecrest for its first ride of the week. The warriors will then. Check into their hotels and relax a bit before enjoying a catered dinner back at the ASF.

Wednesday the riders will leave the mountaintop and head north to Thacher State Park. Located in Albany County, Thacher State Park has. 25 miles worth of hiking and mountain biking trails and it boasts some incredible views of the Hudson-Mohawk Valleys and the Adirondack and Green Mountains. The WIM group is scheduled to arrive at the park by 10:30 a.m., where it will ride until 3 p.m. with a break for lunch in the middle. The ASF shuttle bus will take the participants back to Windham in time for them to wash up and relax a little bit before another dinner at the ASF lodge. 

The warriors will begin the month of August with a friendly competition. For the third-consecutive year, the riders will head to the Tannersville Bike Park and spend Thursday morning competing in a time-trial race on the downhill trail “Thriller”. The trail name lives up to the experience, as this provides the perfect way to end a mountain biking trip in Upstate New York. Once the contest is over, the participants will then head back into Windham and enjoy a lunch at the ASF lodge before they depart. 

“This program allows me to remain active, no matter the capacity that I’m able to function in at any given moment,” Garrad explained when asked about the importance of the ASF’s WIM program. “For example, if I’m not up for riding an upright bike, the ASF has the adaptive equipment such as e-bikes and hand cycles that I would need to keep enjoying the activity and myself. This program keeps me exercising, which keeps me healthy both physically and mentally.”  

Thanks to grants received and private donations, the ASF is able to provide equipment, water bottles, all meals, hotel rooms, snacks, water, sports drinks, sunscreen, bug spray, ponchos (if necessary) and maps, both digital and paper copies.

 

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Ashland Speaks

By Lula Anderson

Ah retirement!  The days pass by and it seems like the summer is endless.  No, that is what I hope for.  In reality, I still have no time at all to do what has to be done.  I should have been able to get this written two days ago, but am hurrying to get this in by tomorrow's deadline.  I haven't been able to see my kitchen sink in quite a while, so that has to get done.  I have a dishwasher, but the dishes don't put themselves away.  Sheets are washed, but the bed needs to be remade.  The hurrier I go the more I get behind.  

Judy and Susan Hitchcock Neugebauer made their annual birthday trip to Albany to see Janet Hudecek.  While there Janet invited over a new resident who was related to the Steele family of Ashland.  His entire family is buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetary.  Most astonishing is that his father graduated from Windham School in 1914.  I had to opportunity to speak with him over the phone, and in October will be meeting with him and his family.  I am pulling out all the deeds that show his family's past holdings.  The Steele family owned all of the land across the street from my present house including the former Lawrence farm.  As, even he put it, the barn that is no longer there on the turn to Jewett was theirs, and all of the land going up Jewett Mountain where Larry Lawrence lived.  How small the world is., and how a chance encounter can bring out so much

The WAJPL Craft classes are going well.  There's still time to join us.  10 AM Tuesday mornings.  Our next meeting will be on August 5th with a visit from the Greene County Dept of Aging who will be discussing Vaccines—Not just for kids.  Join us for useful information and the programs that Greene County has for our Senior Citizens.  The representatives are always glad to take the time to speak with you about your needs.  The following meeting on August 19th will feature Dottie Pickett from Gilboa who has great post cards and information on the Gilboa Dam project and the drowned town of Gilboa.  Our meeting start at 1 pm at our Senior Meeting Room at the Ambulance building on the corner of South Street and 23 across from the Chicken Run.

Joy for the parish in Maplecrest and the pastor's family who welcome baby, Seth into the family.  Prayers and sympathy for the family of Janette Becker of Lexington and Carol Murry of Prattsville and for the Hitchcock family.  

AS I REMEMBER IT

Last week I gave the message at Mitchell Hollow about being baptized in the River Jordan.  I spoke about ponds that are murky, dirty and smell bad, and I thought about the ponds that the governmental powers that be had all farmers put in as a fire pond.  At that time, every third space was a farm, so there was a lot of digging and catching water.  We were lucky that we lived, and farmed, on the Batavia Kill, so didn't have to dig a pond.  If we continued to farm, we would now, no longer, be able to use the Kill water, and would have to fence it off so the cows don't "pollute" the water way.  Oh, the deer that use that path from the mountain to the creek are getting caught on the fencing and are dying.  At least the water isn't being used.  Progress?  We can be thankful that the Clifford Lawrence family did most of the digging, so our neighbors profited, but now we have so many man-made ponds in the middle of fields that are being overgrown by weeds and overgrowth, and wonder why they are there.   

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Conservation Officer News

Great Horned Owl Set Free – Greene County

On June 26, ECO Palmateer responded to a complaint about a great horned owl stuck in a soccer net at the Ararat Youth and Conference Center in the town of Greenville. Officer Palmateer arrived at the location and discovered the owl entangled in the net and struggling to free itself. Utilizing a pair of scissors, he cut the net from around the bird, removed it safely, and transported it to Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center in the town of Hunter for a health evaluation. After about a week, the wildlife center informed ECO Palmateer that the owl was in good health and ready to be released. ECOs Palmateer and Smith brought the owl back to where it was originally rescued and released it back into its natural habitat. Video of the owl’s release can be seen on DEC's YouTube Channel.

Bicycle Crash – Greene County

On June 27, ECO Smith responded to a Greene County 911 call for an unconscious bicyclist with a serious head injury after a crash on North Lake Road in the town of Hunter. Officer Smith arrived at the location and observed two off-duty DEC employees of the North-South Lake Campground tending to the injured cyclist. The patient sustained several abrasions and a large laceration to the head. ECO Smith assisted the DEC employees in caring for the head wound. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrived on scene, evaluated the patient, and transported him to an area hospital for further treatment. New York State Police, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and Town of Hunter Police Department also responded.  

Attempted Rideshare Getaway – Greene County

A routine fishing compliance check in Greene County ended with a man facing several charges. On July 2, ECOs Smith and Palmateer observed a man and woman fishing along Catskill Creek in the town of Durham. The Officers ticketed the woman for failing to possess a valid New York State fishing license. The man did not have identification but provided a name and date of birth that came back to an active fishing license. ECOs attempting to confirm the male angler’s identity ran the license plate on a motorcycle in the parking lot and learned the plate was reported stolen to the Schodack Police Department and did not match the type of motorcycle at the location.  

ECOs contacted Schodack Police who reported a male subject matching the description of the fisherman recently fled from police during a pursuit. They also informed ECOs that the same individual violated the terms of his probation and had active bench warrants out of the towns of Schodack and East Greenbush. 

ECOs Smith and Palmateer returned to the creek to investigate further and discovered the subject fled on foot. They requested assistance from a Greene County Sheriff’s K-9 unit which responded immediately and helped the ECOs track the man through the woods to a waiting vehicle. The subject apparently ordered a rideshare for transportation out of the area.  

ECOs took the subject into custody, transported him to the New York State Police barracks in Greenville, and charged him with two counts of bail jumping, one count of criminal impersonation, one count of obstructing governmental administration, and fishing without a freshwater fishing license.  

Officers seized the motorcycle as evidence and turned the subject over to Schodack Police pursuant to his outstanding warrants. ECOs were assisted by the New York State Police, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and the town of Durham Police Department.   

ECO Palmateer with a great horned owl rescued from a soccer net in Greene County 

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Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - ECO Exam Now Open-Fee’s Waived by Governor Hochul

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the application period is now open for New York State’s entry-level law enforcement civil service exam. The exam is for interested, qualified applicants seeking a position throughout the state at the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Office of State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the State University of New York (SUNY). Qualified candidates can apply online until 11:59 p.m. on August 14th 2024, to take the exam, scheduled for the fall. The difference for this NYS Civil Service Exam series is there is no cost to take the exam as all state exam application fees are waived through December, 2025.

There are approximately 150 entry-level law enforcement positions at DEC, State Parks, and SUNY anticipated statewide over the next year. The police series civil service exam is also used to fill positions in municipal police departments and sheriff's offices across the state. 

Those interested in becoming police officers in New York State must first meet the minimum qualifications for the title or titles of interest, and register for the civil service exam by submitting all the required information by August 14th by using this link here or by visiting the NYS Civil Service website at https://www.cs.ny.gov/police/.

The entry-level law enforcement exam is used to fill the following state titles:

• DEC - Environmental Conservation Police Officer Trainee 1 & Forest Ranger 1

• Parks - Park Police Officer Trainee

• SUNY - University Police Officer 1

To qualify to take the exam to become an Environmental Conservation Officer, you must have, or obtain the following experience/education:

Either:

 1: a bachelor's or higher-level degree; OR 

2: an associate degree; AND one of the following: 

a. one year of experience in the areas of environmental engineering or environmental technology, freshwater or marine sciences, wildlife sciences, or forestry; OR 

b. one year of experience as a police officer in New York State with Municipal Police Training Course certification (or equivalent course approved by the NYS Municipal Police Training Council). A certified Peace Officer Training course does not meet this requirement; OR 

c. one year of experience as a certified federal law enforcement officer; OR 

d. two years of active United States military service with an honorable discharge or under conditions in the New York State Restoration of Honor Act; OR 

3: three years of experience as a police officer in New York State with Municipal Police Training Course certification (or equivalent course approved by the NYS Municipal Police Training Council). *A Peace Officer Training course does not meet this requirement.

To take the Forest Ranger exam, you must have or obtain the following education/experience:

Either 

1: an associate or higher-level degree in aquatic biology, conservation biology, environmental biology, wildlife biology, environmental and natural resource conservation, environmental engineering, fisheries and fisheries sciences and management, fish and wildlife technology, aquatic and fisheries science, forestry, forest engineering, forest management, forest resource management, forest resources production and management, forest sciences and biology, forest technology, land surveying technology, natural resource management, natural resources management and policy, wildlife science, wildlife fish and wildlands science and management, or any other associate or higher-level degree program accredited by the Society of American Foresters; OR 

2: 60 college semester credit hours or higher including or supplemented by 24 college semester credit hours in coursework as described below; * OR 

3: two years of active United States military service with an honorable discharge or under conditions in the New York State Restoration of Honor Act AND two years of qualifying experience in forest management, fish and wildlife management, forest, fish, or wildlife interpretation in a wildland setting, or law enforcement in a park, forest, or wildland setting. **

ECO salaries start at $56,360.00. After a two-year traineeship their base salary becomes $70,404.00. Forest Rangers salaries begin at $59,298.00.

 The police series exam will also be used to fill positions in municipal police departments and sheriff's offices. Candidates interested in taking local examinations for municipal police departments and sheriff's offices should apply directly through their local civil service agency. 

A list of the local entry-level law enforcement examinations taking place is available using this link, here or by contacting the respective municipal civil service department.  

Applicants can view more campaign content and additional information, including a test guide to prepare applicants for the exam by going to the following NYS Civil Service website; https://www.cs.ny.gov/police/. 

On June 2, 2024 DEC began its 24th Basic School for Uniformed Officers with the newest class of Environmental Conservation Police Officer recruits. They are currently in the midst of their training at the academy in Pulaski, NY. 

DEC Forest Rangers are also in training at their academy which began on May 19th 2024 in Wanakena, NY.

Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “DEC's Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers serve on the front lines to protect New York's environment, natural resources, and communities, and through Governor Hochul’s support and leadership, we are growing our forces of the future. I encourage all eligible candidates to take the State’s entry-level law enforcement civil service exam and join the revered ranks of Forest Rangers and ECOs in our efforts to safeguard New Yorkers and our environment.”

 ECOs, originally called Game Protectors, were first appointed for service in 1880. The first Forest Rangers, originally known as Fire Wardens, were put into service in 1885 when the New York State Legislature established the Forest Preserve of New York State. ECO job duties are centered on the enforcement of New York State Environmental Conservation Law and range from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the black-market illegal wildlife and pet trade, emissions violations, plus all manner of environmental quality enforcement. They patrol the state on vessels of all sizes, ATVs, snowmobiles, and on foot. In 2023, ECOs and Investigators across the state responded to nearly 31,000 calls and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 16,900 tickets or arrests.

Forest Ranger duties focus on the public's use of DEC-administered State lands and easements and can span from patrolling State properties to conducting search-and-rescue operations to fighting wildland fires. In 2023, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 370 search and rescue missions, extinguished 146 wildfires, participated in 52 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,000 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets or arrests.

Happy Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping until next time!

News and Notes…

70th Annual Greene County Fair Opens in Cairo on Thursday, July 25th 

Come and help celebrate the homespun fair’s 70th Anniversary. It’s the only county fair that has free admission in NYS. Be sure to go to the Trade Tent and stop by “Conservation Corner.” That’s where the DEC Trout Tank is and biologists are around to answer wildlife questions across from the Greene County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. That’s where 12-15-year-olds can sign-up for the free Youth Pheasant Hunt coming up in September. Slide down a bit and visit veteran hunter, Frank Algozine to learn everything you wanted to know about coyotes, and perhaps even some things you didn’t!

Norton Hill Wildlife Club’s 2024 Trap Shooting Schedule 

Trap shooting at Norton Hill Wildlife Club at 946 Big Woods Road in Greenville begins at 10:00 am on the following Sundays: July 28th, August 4th and 25th, and on September 15th and 29th.  Cost is just $5.00 per round. Bring your own ammo. Trap shooting is open to all; you don’t have to be a member to take advantage of this opportunity. 

Remember to report poaching violations by calling 1-844-DEC-ECOS.

  

  

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