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The Best Gifts from Schoharie County

Roxbury Board of Education Announces Plan to Fill Vacancy

Written By Editor on 7/3/20 | 7/3/20



Roxbury Central School Board of Education President, Ed Fersch, announced today that the Board is seeking candidates to fill a vacancy created by a member resignation. According to Fersch, anyone interested in serving on the board should submit a letter of interest to District Clerk, Jeff Bennett at bennettj@roxburycsd.org by July 14, 2020. Candidates need to have been a resident of the District for at least one year. The Board will review the letters and make an appointment at a future meeting.

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Mascot Battle in Schoharie

Written By Editor on 6/29/20 | 6/29/20



By David Avitabile
As statues of historical figures are being defaced and toppled throughout the United States, a battle is raging in the Schoharie Valley on whether to change the Schoharie Central School mascot and alma mater.
Rival groups have taken to social media to defend their positions. One group, Change it from Mascot to Mentor and Keep it Schoharie Indians, is fiercely defending the decades-old mascot while another group, Schoharie Central New Alma Mater and Mascot Collaboration, is fighting to change the mascot and the school song.
Apparently the pro-change group surfaced first, but was quickly shut down after several business owners received threats. The pro-Indian group page is still active and has quickly gained 979 members and is preparing a petition to give to the school board.
The question on whether to change the SCS mascot has been brought up several times, most recently about 20 years ago. After hearing arguments from both sides, school board members at that time decided to leave everything as is.
Rachel Golden, a spokeswoman for the pro-change group, said it was started with “the understanding that American Indian mascots are an outdated concept that perpetuate stereotype and perpetuate harm among the American Indian population, particularly young people.”
The current climate may be the right time to make the change in Schoharie, wrote Ms. Golden, who is from Schoharie but currently lives in Washington D.C., according to her Facebook page.
“This is currently a unique time in correcting past civil rights errors in the United States and the hope was to brainstorm a mascot alternative that would actively welcome all children to the Schoharie Central Schools while celebrating the strong, rich, and vibrant history of the Schoharie Valley without caricature or stereotype.
“The hope was to collect ideas for alternative mascots to be voted on by the community at large and fundraise to help the school district slowly change, understanding this is an era with diminished resources for the schools.”
It never got to that point.
“There were threats made to the most active administrators of the group. Family members and children were named in ways that were inappropriate. In the hysterics even the wrong small businesses were attributed to group leadership.”
The page was eventually shut down.
“There was a group of community members who were clearly very offended by the thought of change and didn’t understand that this wasn’t a group to discuss the idea of if the mascot was a problem. As anger built members looking for change didn’t feel safe and safety was the biggest concern.”
The members of the group do not expect to bring any possible changes to the school board.
The Facebook page to keep the Indian quickly sprang up.
“We started the group because there was another group on Facebook that was trying to change our beloved mascot, the Indians,” said spokeswoman Tammy Coluccio.
“The Indian mascot has been a part of Schoharie for over 70 to 80 years. It is in all our blood if you grew up in Schoharie and went to Schoharie School. I have aunts, uncle, cousins, my mom, and my children who went to Schoharie School from K-12 and have such pride in the Schoharie Indians.”
The mascot honors the Indians that once occupied this Valley, she added.
“The Schoharie name comes from the The Mohawk Tribe and there is a lot of history of Native Americans in this county. There was a Indian tribe known as Schoharie Indians. I looked up the history of Schoharie. The Indian mascot is very beautiful and there is a lot of pride in this community for it.”
Members of the group are fighting to keep the Indian, now and forever.
My hope is that it will never get changed. We don't want what was important to us to be erased from Schoharie School. We want our grandchildren and future Schoharie school students and graduates to be able to say they are Schoharie Indians. We want the history of it to be around and not be thrown away because of how people are thinking these days. A lot of people in this group are so proud to be a Schoharie Indian and wear with pride. It's in their blood and hearts.
The group started small but the membership quickly grew, Ms. Coluccio said.
“When I started this group I only started with 54 members (but) by midnight that same day I was up to 625. And the amount of support to keep the Indian has been great
“They all have different reasons to keep it and have talked about memories of being a Schoharie Indian. Its all very emotional, happy and beautiful memories. We are now up to 949 members which is why i love this community. The support and love for this has been great and wonderful.
Ms. Coluccio also feels the alma mater should not be changed.
“I feel the same way about the alma mater. They changed the one word white man to wise man already a while ago. That is the one that they were trying to change. When you sing that you feel the joy and pride in your heart.”
The alma mater, in part, states, “how the white men won the warfare on the Indian trail.” Apparently, “white” has been changed to “wise.”
“I remember watching my son playing basketball and people standing up and singing that song and smiling the whole time,” Ms. Coluccio recalled. “The whole gym would light up and you just would feel it in your heart the love for the school. We sang that song all through my years at Schoharie which was K-12. But the greatest joy of singing it was at your graduation. You still sing the words when you are out of school. And it blows me away with happiness about the people who still sing it.”
The mascot and song are part of Schoharie pride, she added.
“This community loves Schoharie school and everything about it. The history of the county of Schoharie school is in the alma mater so no we do not need to change it. Why people want to change history is unknown to me? Be proud of Schoharie and the history of it. Let's not change anything...Let's keep it the Indians and keep the Alma Mater. It's in our hearts and soul and we want our future generation to be a part of that too.”
Their petition has more than 1,400 signatures, according to Ms. Coluccio.
The Facebook contains dozens of testimonials on why to keep the Indian and the school song.
I’ve been sitting here and reading how they want to take the Indian away, well it’s BS,” wrote Shawn Kendle Sr.. “I have been in Schoharie school since kindergarten until 12th grade... If you get rid of the Indian you might as well tear the school down.”
William Benninger wrote, “I'm a Schoharie Indian from now until I die. Why take away from the heritage of the Valley? To remove 'Indian' from Schoharie is like dismissing their existence. Being a Schoharie Indian was always something to be proud of and still is.”
Vicki Piotrowski-Echtner offered some advice as a member of a school district that went through the change of a school mascot.
“I was not born or raised in Schoharie but my children have been,” she wrote. “I grew up in Woodstock and went to Onteora, we were the Indians. A few years back we had the same thing happen. A few people thought it would be a good idea to change our mascot. There were two people on the School Board who were opposed but ultimately the Onteora Indians were changed to Onteora Eagles. I for one will always be an Onteora Indian.”
Not all comments on the site were as supportive.
“It's my understanding that the other group has decided to close down discussions after members and their families were threatened,” wrote Carrie Wick. “While there are some that think changing the mascot and alma mater are wrong, threatening anyone over it is worse and in my opinion a very weak show of who we are as a collective. Don't dumb yourself down by making threats. Have discussions and come to a solution. I'm disappointed that any adult would resort to such childish actions. Shame on you.”

SCS Superintendent David Blanchard said, “the board has not received anything. I have not received anything either. I have heard there are two different sides on Facebook.  I have not seen anything myself, just heard rumors.

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New Kingston Public Hearing Public Notice for the Town of Middletown

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Town of Middletown, New York


NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held before the Town Board of the Town of Middletown (“Town Board”) at the Middletown Town Hall, located at 42339 State Highway 28, Margaretville, NY 12455 on the 8th day of July, 2020, pursuant to Article 2 of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law of the State of New York ("EDPL"), to consider the Town’s acquisition by exercise of the power of eminent domain of property (in fee) in connection with the Town’s New Kingston Sewer District (“District”) and a feasible site for the construction of a community subsurface wastewater treatment facility (the “Project”). The public will also have remote access to the public hearing as part of the Town’s COVID-19 response plan using the following Zoom Meeting link or dial in phone number and conference ID:
Topic: New Kingston Public Hearing

Time: July 8, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join by Zoom Meeting Link:

https://zoom.us/j/99163668612?pwd=YWpOdkdSQUlrYzhnYW1Eb1lFSTVQUT09

Join by phone: 1-929-205-6099

Meeting ID: 991 6366 8612

Password: 117891

The lands under consideration for permanent acquisition are as follows:
Fee Acquisition of a 21.7 acres portion of an 89.85 acres parcel identified on the Middletown Tax Map as Parcel No. 241.-1-1.1 (the 21.7 acre portion of the parcel to be acquired is hereinafter referred to as the “Fee Parcel”);

Permanent Easement for access to the Treatment System over the remaining portion of Tax Map Parcel No. 241.-1-1.1 (“Easement Parcel”); and

Termination of a Watershed Agricultural Council (“WAC”) Conservation Easement encumbering the Fee Parcel.

The portions of property comprising the Fee Parcel and Easement Parcel 2 are owned by Michael Moriarty (hereinafter, the “Property Owner”).

There is an existing deed of conservation easement affecting Tax Map Parcel 241.-1-1.1, which Property Owner conveyed to Watershed Agricultural Council of New York City Watersheds, Inc. ("WAC") by deed of conservation easement dated October 27, 2006, filed in the Office of the Delaware County Clerk’s Office on November 2, 2006, and recorded in Deed Book 1158 at Page 261 (“WAC Easement”). The WAC Easement restricts use of the property comprising the Fee Parcel and property comprising the Easement Parcel and requires WAC approval before Tax Map Parcel 241.-1-1.1 can be subdivided for the Project. WAC subdivision approval has been denied.

The Town Board proposes a fee acquisition of the Fee Parcel where the Treatment System will be located and termination of the WAC Conservation Easement which encumbers the Fee Parcel.

The Town Board also proposes the acquisition of a required permanent access easement over the remaining portion of Tax Map as Parcel No. 241.-1-1.1 to install, inspect, operate, maintain and repair the Treatment System (including a waiver of WAC’s approval for the access easement).

The Project proposes to construct a community subsurface wastewater treatment facility, consisting of a manhole, a flow meter, an absorption bed dosing pump station and shallow absorption beds, and any ancillary piping or components, on property owned by Michael Moriarty. The purpose of this hearing is to outline the Project purpose, its proposed location, and to provide other pertinent information, including maps and property descriptions of the property(ies) to be acquired and adjacent parcels.

Maps of the currently proposed Project are available for public examination at the Middletown Town Hall, located at 42339 State Highway 28, Margaretville, NY, during the hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  A copy of the proposed Project will be made available for public inspection on the Town’s website in advance of the public hearing.

Any property owners who may subsequently wish to challenge the condemnation of their property by judicial review may do so only on the basis of issues, facts, and objections raised at the hearing.

By Order of the Town Board

Dated: June 10th, 2020
Patricia F. Kelly
Town Clerk
  Town of Middletown

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Legal Notice - Mountain Eagle
(2) Weeks - week of June 19th and June 26th, 2020


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Town of Prattsville Republican Caucus Notice

Written By Editor on 6/28/20 | 6/28/20

Town of Prattsville
Republican
Caucus Notice

The Town of Prattsville Republican Committee will hold a Caucus
on July 10, 2020 at 5:00PM on the Prattsville Town Green, 14517
Main Street, Prattsville, New York, for the purpose of nominating
candidates for the November elections, and for any other business
that may properly come before this meeting.

By order of
Jim Young
Republican Town Chairman

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Estate Sale Notice -- Lexington

Written By Editor on 6/23/20 | 6/23/20

Grinnell Estate Sale by J&K in Lexington, NY -- 3970 Greene CR42 9-5 Fri,  10-5 Sat & Sun. 1800s house full antiques, vintage see 200+ photos  estatesales.org and jkantiques.com

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Franolich Case Not Dead

Written By Editor on 6/6/20 | 6/6/20

By David Avitabile
Erica Jane Franolich has been gone for nearly 34 years, but the search for her and the person responsible for her disappearance, continues.
Ms. Franolich, who was last seen in public on October 13, 1986 in Middleburgh, is survived by her husband, a son, at least one sister, and several brothers. Her siblings, a private investigator, and the New York State Police continue to hope that there will be a resolution to this "cold case."
In 2017, Ms. Franolich's brother Dana Poprafsky said he hoped to see a resolution in the case in his lifetime. He did not. He died in January in Michigan.
One of those who have picked up the mantel in the search for Ms. Franolich and the person responsible for her disappearance is another brother, Mike Poprafsky, who still lives in Michigan.
Ms. Franolich called him the night she disappeared from a Middleburgh bar. She said she feared for her life and would call him the next day. She never called.
"She called me that night right there in Middleburgh," Mr. Poprafsky said earlier this month.
"She said she was afraid for her life and I said, 'Run and get on a bus or airplane. Use my credit card.'"
At the time of her disappearance, the relationship between Ms. Franolich and her husband, Richard, was troubled, according to the State Police. During the summer of 1986, Richard took their baby son and moved to Duanesburg leaving Ms. Franolich with her family in Michigan. She went to New York to get the baby back and wound up reconciling with Richard.
Ms. Franolich, according to police, promised to call her brother the next day to make arrangements to leave, but she never did. Shortly afterwards, Richard took the baby boy and moved to Vermont.
When she disappeared, she was "hooked on cocaine," spending about $400 a week on her habit, her brother said.
There is no doubt, Mr. Poprafsky said, who is responsible for his sister's disappearance.
Despite the years and the death of some of her relatives and people who may have information about her disappearance, Mr. Poprafsky believes a resolution is near.
"It's going to be solved," he said.
He noted that Ms. Franolich was staying with her husband's family on Westfall Road in Delanson at the time of her disappearance. Members of the family still live in the red and white, two-story farmhouse on the property, which borders Cross Road.
When his sister spoke to him that night, Ms. Franolich did not mention that she was in MIddleburgh. He did not know she was in MIddleburgh until the next month when he received his phone bill.
Her husband Richard was working for Mr. Poprafsky when they lived in Michigan.
Mr. Poprafsky, 71, told several stories of Mr. Franolich allegedly harming his wife, including one time when Mr. Franolich allegedly "dragged her in the street with his car when they lived here."
Another person who has promised a resolution of the case is private investigator Greg Overacker of Mohawk, Herkimer County.
Mr. Overacker has been investigating the details of the disappearance for several years and was in Middleburgh twice in the past few weeks interviewing people about the night Ms. Franolich went missing. Another trip to Middleburgh to interview another possible witness is being planned.
"We've spoken to family members and based on the information from those discussions we'll be doing some searches soon," he said during an interview earlier this month.
The answer is out there, he said.
"Some of the family members could put an end to this today and it's absolutely unconscionable for them to remain silent. How they sleep at night is beyond us."
Mr. Overacker has spoken to many people involved in the case, including Ms. Franolich's husband Richard.
There are inconsistencies in his story about what happened to Ms. Franolich after October 13, 1986, according to Mr. Overacker.
At first, Mr. Franolich said he put his wife on a bus in Schenectady two or three days before Halloween, 1986, Mr. Overacker said. He did not know where she was going but had $280 on her. Then he said he put her on the bus two or three days after October 13. Then he said he put her on a bus on October 14. Mr. Franolich said he was with his wife after October 13, 1986, according to Mr. Overacker. In the four to six weeks prior to her disappearance, the Franolichs lived in several different places including his grandparents, parents, and brother's. They also stayed at the Franolich's property on Westfall and Cross Roads in Delanson.
The interviews with Mr. Franolich have been frustrating, Mr. Overacker said.
"Richard won't answer the questions. He hides behind his lawyer."
The husband, Mr. Overacker noted, "refuses to take a polygraph test. Refuses to answer any questions to the police." As anyone who has watched court drama on television knows, polygraph tests are not admissible in court, but could say whether a person is lying or not.
Mr. Franolich lives in Highgate Springs, Vermont, a few miles from the Canadian border. He is on Facebook and a message to him from the Mountain Eagle went unanswered. Mr. Franolich turned 61 on May 14. His brother Joe, whom the Franolichs lives with for a time in 1986, lives near his brother in Vermont.
The interviews will continue, Mr. Overacker added.
"There's a team of us. Now that this is our case, we're not going away. We know the family (of the husband) is being deceitful. They could end this tomorrow, but they won't."
Though Ms. Franolich's disappearance happened during age of electric typewriters and land-line phones, it has reached the Internet and been the subject of several podcasts in recent years.
Anyone who is interested in the case should watch the podcasts on YouTube, Stiticher, Apple podacsts and other sites. They are called Crawlspace or Missing Maura Murphy, Mr. Overacker said.
"The episodes pertaining to Erica's disappearance are eye opening."
Mr. Overacker and Lou Barry are private investigators "For the Missing." The non-profit organization was started by Bruce Maitland, the father of Brianna Maitland, who has been missing since March 19, 2004. Ms. Maitlan went missing from Montgomery , Vermont, which is very close to where Mr. Franolich now lives. Mr. Overacker noted that Mr. Franloch's son once dated Ms. Maitland's best friend.
Anyone with information about Ms. Franolich's disappearance can contact Mr. Overacker at (315) 542-7800.
Ms. Franolich's niece, Tanya Lynn Poprafsky, who lives in Michigan, added, "I want it to be known that we are still fighting for justice for Erica. And even though my aunts and uncles are getting up there in age, the second generation is not going to forget and move on from this. Her other nieces and nephews will continue to look for her!"


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Roxbury Fire District Legal Notice

Written By Editor on 6/1/20 | 6/1/20

Please take notice that the Roxbury Fire District is seeking bid proposals for insured lawn care and maintenance.  Please contact Chief James Bouton at 607-267-2917 for more information.  Submit proposals to PO Box 421 Roxbury, NY 12474 or in person to Chief Bouton. Proposals are due before the monthly Fire Commissioners Meeting at 7pm on June 11th. 

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Helga Eisenlauer Obituary

Written By Editor on 5/10/20 | 5/10/20

After a long, full life blessed with family, friends and life’s adventures, Helga Eisenlauer, 96, completed her final journey on March 3, 2020.  Born July 31, 1923 in Rowe Kreis Stolp/Pommern, Germany.  Helga Paula Minna was the only child of Gustav Paul Friedrich Hawer and Martha Auguste Zoch Hawer.  She met her lifelong love, Karl Josef Eisenlauer, on a street car in Hamburg, Germany and was married to him in Hamburg-Lokstedt on July 1, 1946 until his passing on June 8, 2003. 


Although, as a young woman in Germany, she apprenticed as a tailor, her preference was always to work with fact and figures.  She would have the exact change out at the register before the total was tallied and the bag was packed!  She would never forget a phone number or a birth date.  


On her biggest adventure in life, Helga left Germany, family and friends to forge a new life with her husband and child in Queens, New York.  Helga immigrated to the United States in 1953 and proudly became a citizen on December 12, 1958.  She learned a new language, embraced new experiences and their daily challenges.  She worked hard her entire life.  She used her talent for facts and figures and eventually managed the children’s and men’s shoe departments at Gertz Department Store in Hicksville, New York.  Upon moving to Prattsville, New York she worked until retirement at the Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School as both library aide and school bus driver.  She continued to meet challenges head on.  Being the first woman bus driver on the Mountain Top was but another one.  She loved her long-time friends and her work at WAJ.


For 50 years Helga enjoyed membership at the Reformed Dutch Church in Prattsville.  She sang in the choir, did a tour at bookkeeping, with great dedication baked many cakes for Sunday fellowship hour and never forgot those who could not be there.  She was a welcoming hostess.  When she set the table for your visit, you knew you were special.  But those who knew her also knew they could count on the unfiltered truth, according to Helga.    


She is survived by daughter, Ruth (Brian) Christman, and she was Oma to her devoted grandchildren Natalie Christman, Anne Christman and Katherine (Alex) Christman-Soutelo. 
Her loving family in Germany remained ever present in her life, even from afar, as did her many faithful friends on this side of the ocean.

The family wishes to thank the staff on 2 North at Greene Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for the kindness and expert care given to Helga during her stay and to her family as they stayed with Helga as she took her final journey to heaven.  A celebration Helga’s life is planned in the spring.  Interment will be private at Pleasant Valley Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Reformed Dutch Church, 14537 Main Street, Prattsville, New York 12468.

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James Cook Obituary

PRESTON HOLLOW - James Eldon Cook, 92, passed away on Tuesday April 28, 2020 at Columbia Memorial Hospital. He was born on the family farm in Preston Hollow on March 18, 1928 to the late Dean and Clara Bates Cook. He attended the one room school house in Potter Hollow, and then worked various jobs throughout his life. He worked for Beckers Feed in Grand Gorge, drove the milk route for can milk, retired from the NYS Environmental Conservation, and maintained the Potter Hollow Cemetery for years. He worked endless hours on the home farm, as well as on neighboring farms. He loved the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and especially wood cutting. He enjoyed hauling sap to the sugar house in the spring. He was no stranger to hard work. He could out work most his age. A man of not big stature, but was head and shoulders above most with his love and support of family. Later joys in his life included breakfast at Angel’s East Cafe with his noted waffle sundae: 2 scoops of ice cream, strawberries, blueberries, and sometimes whipped cream. In addition to his parents, he’s predeceased by his sister, Olive; and his brothers, Oliver, Ernest, and Lawrence. 

    Eldon is survived by his brothers, Maurice Cook and Walter (Wilma) Cook; his nephews, Stephen and Shawn Cook; many other nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Buster.

    Services had taken place privately. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eldon’s memory can be made to any charity of one's choice. Condolences can be posted at ajcunninghamfh.com. 

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Wendy Lee Pritchett Obituary

WENDY LEE PRITCHETT (GALLO) OF KINGSTON NY WENT TO BE WITH GOD ON APRIL 17 2020.  IT WAS NOT VIRUS RELATED.  
WENDY WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN NY ON JUNE 2nd 1962 – SHE WAS 57.
WENDY AND HER 7 SIBLINGS GREW UP IN NEW KINGSTON AND WENDY WAS A 1980 GRADUATE OF MARGARETVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL WHERE SHE HAD NUMEROUS FRIENDS.
HER INTERESTS INCLUDED ROSES (RED OF COURSE), FLUFFY CATS, AND ANYTHING WITH FUR.  SOME OF HER FAVORITE THINGS TO DO WERE GO TO FLEA MARKETS AND COLLECT KNICK KNACKS, ANTIQUES, JEWELRY, DOLLS and ANYTHING THAT SPARKLED.
ANYONE WHO KNEW WENDY KNOWS WHAT AN OUTGOING, FLAMBOYANT, FUN, AND ARTISTIC PERSON SHE WAS.  SHE LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND WAS ALAYS SMILING W ITH BIG ROSEY CHEEKS AND LONG DARK HAIR.  SHE HAD A HUGE HEART AND LOVED TO LAUGH AND LISTEN TO HER 2 FAVORITE ARTISTS, BARBARA STREISAND AND CELINE DION.
WENDY LOVED TO COOK AND WORKED IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS MOST OF HER LIFE.
SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND, SHAWN GALLO, DAUGHTER ANTOINETTE YEAGER, SON TIMOTHY FIELD , GRANDCHILDREN ANTHONY AND JANELLE , SISTERS CHERYLE, DONNA, ROBIN, HOLLY AND MELANIE, ALONG  WITH NUMEROUS NEICES AND NEPHEWS.
WENDY HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS FROM HER SCHOOL YEARS THAT SHE LOVED AND ADORED AS WELL.
WENDY IS PREDECEASED BY HER MOTHER BONNIE, FATHER DONALD, DAUGHTER LINDSAY, GRANDSON GIOVANNI,  SISTER DEBBIE, AND  BROTHER DONNY.
SHE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED BY HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

A SUMMER MEMORIAL IS BEING PLANNED DUE TO THE CURRENT SITUATION.

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OFA Offering Virtual Pets for Seniors in Need of Social Contact

By David Avitabile

Everyone, especially our areas's seniors, has been adversely affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Many seniors have been isolated from friends and related who are fearful of spreading the deadly virus to the elderly. Many seniors have had to celebrate their birthdays away from their families for the first time. They have had to survive with minimal outside contact for more than six weeks. It will be a very different Mother's Day coming up Sunday for many mothers and grandmothers this year.

As a way to lessen the feeling of isolation for seniors, the Schoharie County Office for the Aging is giving seniors animatronic companion pets. The OFA was able to get 12 pets, eight cats and four dogs, from the state OFA, said county OFA Director Nancy Dingee.

The workers at the OFA have nicknamed the electronic pets as "robo pets," Ms. Dingee added. The cat, an orange and white tabby, and a yellow and white cream dog with a bandana around its neck, are made by Ageless Innovation and made for people ages 5 to 105.

According to the manufacturer, the tabby "looks, moves and sounds like a real cat."
They have proved very popular and the OFA has just two left.

"We are providing them to seniors to help curb social isolation." Ms. Dingee said. "It especially works well with those seniors with dementia or seniors that are just lonely. We have a loneliness scale. If they feel they would feel they would benefit from these companion pets.

The dogs wag their tail, close their eyes, bark softly, "nothing real loud, just enough," she noted. The cats purr and their "movement seems natural and their fur is real hair." One woman, Mabel Leruzic, loves her dog so much that she made a bed with a little pillow for it.

Mabel and Lucky

"We'd been talking about how much pets can add to your life," said Mabel's granddaughter.

"Now she's learning 'Luckie's' quirks.  She chats with him and he acknowledges her.  She likes that he barks goodnight when she turns off the lights!"

The granddaughter added, "As we try to balance safety with everything else going on, it's so important to maintain mental wellness.  Luckie helps my grandmother cope, just as my live dog helps me. We joke that she gets all the perks and doesn't have to worry about house-training or vet bills!
"I sincerely hope that others consider the benefits that these pets can add - a sense of companionship and an avenue to help reduce stress.  Its been wonderful to see my grandmother experience this.  Thank you for offering this opportunity!"

Ms. Dingee added, "It's so heartwarming for some individual and take care of this pet and do not have the burden like taking them outside or buying food for them." The program just started this year in the county, though Ms. Dingee first saw them about a year and a half ago.

"Given the nature of Covid-19 and forcing older adults to become so isolated, it's a great tool. I'm a believer. If people feel socially isolated and alone, they should give us a call. We may be able to get more from the state office." It is possible that some may be purchased.

This is Theresa Fagnani who lives at the Birchez in Schoharie, She adores the kitty she named Precious and plays with it every day.

"We want to provide services and keep people healthy. Mental health is as important physical health, especially now.

In addition to providing the pets, the OFA will calls seniors on a monthly or weekly basis if they feel alone, according to Ms. Dingee. OFA workers or volunteers makes the phone calls which have been given the name "friendly calls."

Unfortunately because of the pandemic "We cant do visits yet," Ms. Dingee said. "In the meantime we love to make phone calls. Can hopefully to make visits soon. We hope to curb the social isolation the best we can.

The dogs and cats are available to seniors in the entire county.

Village of Middleburgh Meeting Notice

Written By Editor on 4/30/20 | 4/30/20

The Village of Middleburgh will hold its May monthly meeting via Zoom at 7pm on Monday, May 4th. To join, please use the info below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89123493526

Meeting ID: 891 2349 3526
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Coronavirus: Plan to Rescue Middleburgh

Written By Editor on 4/10/20 | 4/10/20

$30,000 to Businesses, Juried Plays Key Role By Matthew Avitabile Editor’s Note: I’m writing this story from a personal perspective, with my opinions and feelings expressed throughout. My time as my hometown’s Mayor is coming to an end.

Come Monday, Middleburgh will welcome our new Mayor, Trish Bergan, who was originally slated to take office on April 1st. As I wrote in our last edition before the Coronavirus lockdown (and the subsequent canceling of elections), I knew that current Deputy Mayor Bergan was, and is, the right person for the job.

With my term set to expire on March 31st, the Governor’s announcement meant that I would be remaining in office temporarily. After 13 years on the Village Board, including 8 as its steward, it is time for new leadership. Before I left, I knew that I had one last Hail Mary in me. Being one of the members of the flood recovery effort in 2011-2012, I thought back to my experience hunkered down with volunteers in the Village Hall, doing our best to handle a terrible situation. One of the most successful programs I launched then was a donation fund that was then distributed to flood victims-- about $30,000 in all, without a dime for administrative or personnel costs. And so, one by one, I racked my brain regarding who could help. I knew that Nick Juried, who has been an unflinching supporter of our various communities and a kindhearted person, might be able to. Up late worried about the ultimate fate of our community, recently healed from the damage of Irene, I sent him a heartfelt email. He responded the following afternoon with the sincerity and understanding that I have become accustomed to. And so, the following day, on Thursday night-- halfway through my newspaper delivery route I thought of who might be able to help. Thanks to recommendations of my friends, and my father I contacted several other people with our community’s best interest at heart. My friend and former Mountain Eagle editor Carolyn Bennett held my chin up and took my call past 10 pm that night asking for guidance.

Before 2011’s Hurricane Irene, I didn’t fully comprehend the number of people that loved Middleburgh. From the hundreds of volunteers then to hundreds of volunteers and donors now, there exists a bevy of people ready to help their neighbors for nothing in return. The same happened here in the midst of our current crisis. The yeses continued on--from former Supervisor Dennis Richards to former Congressman John Faso to my friend Michael Ehline to online donors to the head of Delaware Engineering John Brust to our Zoning Board of Appeals Chair John Wingfield. Each one will be remembered for decades for being some of the angels needed to save the community.

All told, we had about $30,000 in pledges, with Nick providing the largest share. The Rotary Club, headed by our own Timothy Knight, agreed to accept and disburse the funds equally to storefronts in the Village that needed it. Our community’s hero (and I don’t use the word lightly), Josh DeBartolo offered to help with Small Business Administration funding guidance for our local merchants. Trustee Bob Tinker from the Village Board offered the key suggestion to defer loans through our community business development fund for three months, providing more liquidity and less pressure for businesses in need. Combine that with the fact that the Village Board again held our tax rate under the cap, homeowners would receive approximately $10,000 in state property tax rebate checks.

 Is this program perfect? Not at all. However, it is a valuable shot in the arm, both in terms of cash and morale for the business leaders who held our community together, along with volunteers, in the difficult days after Irene. I wanted their love and hard work to be repaid-- somehow.

For years I’ve debated a bit on whether or not buying a newspaper (of which I recently sold the majority share) was a wise decision at the end of 2016. It’s stressful, and time consuming, and financially risky. Heck, especially in the current day. However, the friendships I’ve built, including with Carolyn and Nick would not have been possible without being a part of the Mountain Eagle. It was partially through the means of local press that this program came together. Being a part of that team, knowing that it aided my beloved hometown, was worth every dollar, late night, and stress. 

Rotary also announced that in the aftermath of the first wave of checks, it would collect for a possible second round for the businesses most in need. I certainly hope that some of our readers may be able to help the community that I love and consider donating. Checks to the relief fund can be sent to the Middleburgh Rotary COVID-19 Fund, Box 1100, Middleburgh NY 12122.

I was weighing whether or not it was worth it to stay in office past my term due date, as if remaining for any part of April was like coming out of retirement for one last hurrah with those who had already rebuilt our community. And so I spoke to my longtime beau Heather and asked for some insight-- knowing me for 11 ½ years. She told me that she knew I wouldn’t leave until something could be accomplished for those in need. Heather likened me to a loyal dog, waiting by its hurt master until help could arrive.

And thanks to people I am proud to call our community’s friends, it did.

 Furthermore, the fruition of such a task left me drained, both emotionally and physically. As I wrote on Facebook Wednesday, watching my friends suffer through an ongoing crisis has ripped my heart out. As a result, I announced that I will be turning over the keys to Middleburgh’s new Mayor Trish Bergan and wish her great success over the next four years. I know full well that under her leadership Middleburgh, especially working with my mentor, Town Supervisor Wes Laraway, will improve and gain in the coming period.

The next weeks will be difficult, but our determined corps of business leaders, volunteers in the Rotary, Joshua Project, Knights of Columbus, and municipal leaders will usher in the next, best days to come for Middleburgh.

Editorial: What a Difference Two Weeks Makes

Written By Editor on 3/18/20 | 3/18/20

Just two weeks ago, the members of the Middleburgh school board were debating whether to cancel the History's Club's trip to Spain. Just 12 days later, the trip was not only canceled, but school will be closed for at least two weeks. In the beginning of March, some people scoffed at the precautions being taken calling the Coronavirus a "glorified flu." Now, on March 18, the country's borders are closed. Restaurants and bars are shuttered except for take out. The county office building, town and villages offices, and churches are closed. Almost all events, meetings, concerts, dinners, and school sports, have been canceled or postponed.
The world is a very different place.
I was speaking to my sister from Long Island this afternoon and we were talking about precedents for what we are all now going through and will be going through for the foreseeable future. There are few, thankfully. I remembered the shock and aftermath of 9-11. No flights for five days. Colleges shut down. No sports for about two weeks. A mini stock market crash. We knew there would be a response from our federal government against the possible culprits. No one knew if there would be further attacks and airport and sports stadium screening was forever changed. The cleanup in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania took months. The effects were country-wide but more localized to the regions struck by the terrorists. People came together as never before. American flags were flown proudly. We eventually found out who our enemies were and they were punished.
Unlike 9-11, we cannot just "punish" our enemy and declare victory against the Coronavirus. We do not know yet how to combat this virus that started in China at the end of December.
We spoke about World War II. After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, car production stopped and rationing began. Gas, tires, milk, sugar, meat, coffee, and other essentials were in short supply. In Harlem, my father owned a green 1939 two-door Plymouth which he waxed and was very proud of. He had to sell it to a "Fifth Avenue doctor" during the war because he could not get tires for it. People began to grow "victory gardens."  The country came together as it has just over 20 years before in the "War to End All Wars." We knew the enemies, Germany, Japan, and for a while, Italy. We banded together, crossing sex and racial lines, sacrificed at home and abroad, and eventually defeated our enemies. We celebrated throughout the country on V-E Day in May, 1945, and then again on V-J Day three months later.
It wasn't global, country or even state-wide, but one other similar event was the flood of August 2011. Those of us in the Schoharie Valley, Margaretville, Windham, and Phoenicia prepared for the worst. The storm was supposed to make landfall over Long Island go east of our region.It didn't. It shifted west and up the center of the state. Tannersville, the origin of the Schoharie Creek got about 19 inches of rain. Those who lived through it all know the story. The panic when we thought the Gilboa Dam had given way. The shock at the destruction in our villages. The mounds of garbage in front of home and businesses in downtown Middleburgh and Schoharie. National Guard troops and vehicles driving down Main Street in Schoharie. The water quickly subsided, but the damage remained. More than 80 percent of the home and businesses in the Village of Schoharie had more than six feet of water in them. The cleanup and restoration was immense. A mild winter helped ease the task, but the work continued for months. Even today, some homes and businesses are still damaged.
The region got help from throughout the state and beyond. Volunteers came from all areas to help muck out basements, remove wet drywall, and repairing what the flood wrought. The work was arduous and exhausting, but we all came together and persevered. The Schoharie Valley, Margaretville, Windham, and other areas hard hit by the flood waters shine even brighter today because of the work done by the residents and volunteers.
Though our enemy is much more nebulous and undefined, we once again are called to sacrifice for the greater good. We will be working from home, not eating at our favorite restaurants, or going to our favorite bars. We will be "hunkering down" for the next month or longer. But, just like before, we will come together and defeat our enemy. Instead of bullets, bombs, or hard work, we may come up with a vaccine or antidote that will defeat the Coronavirus. The battle will be a long and hard one, but we have been through tough times before, and, as before, we will not only survive, but in the end, prosper.

David Avitabile

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GGCAG Assembles Christmas Wreaths

Written By Editor on 3/3/20 | 3/3/20

Grand Gorge Community Action Group will be holding a Christmas wreath making workshop at the Civic Center in Grand Gorge Tuesday night 3/3 at 6:30 p.m. These are the wreaths that decorate Route 23 & 30 through GG. While it may seems a little early to start on wreath making, a lot goes into the project. A good number of wreaths need to be assembled by hand. This year new "led" lights will be used. A bucket truck will need to be secured to install them on the light poles. Also, a number of volunteers will be required.
A short meeting is planned that night so, please feel free to come by. See where you can help and maybe join the GGCAG.

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Carol Tubbs Obituary

Written By Editor on 1/30/20 | 1/30/20

Carol Jacoby Tubbs, age 86, a resident of Andes since 1962, passed away at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown on Sunday January 26, 2020.

She was born in Peekskill on February 5, 1933, the daughter of William Earl and Mary Veronica (Howard) Jacoby. Carol married Donald B. Tubbs on February 27, 1954 in Croton-on-Hudson.

After her children were all in school, she went to work at SUNY Delhi as a secretary for several department heads until she retired after 22 years of service. Carol loved making and selling jelly in her retirement years. She became known as the "Jelly Queen" in Andes. She truly enjoyed talking to everyone that stopped by to see her. She also had a passion for traveling that included visits to all 50 States. Carol's love of life was contagious to all who knew her. She loved to sing, dance and listen to all kinds of music, especially her Neil Diamond CD. Knitting was another passion of hers; hundreds of mittens and scarves were shared with friends, relatives, and anyone who needed them.

She is survived by her children: daughter Susan and her husband Ray Magill of Vergennes, VT; son Bruce and his wife Kathleen Tubbs of Ticonderoga; son Jeff Tubbs and girlfriend Lisa Marasa of Andes; and daughter Nancy and her husband Greg Greenlow of Suwanee, GA, as well as grandchildren: Jason Sabourin, Caitlin Magill, Meagan Tubbs, Carly Tubbs, Justin Stratton (fiancée Amanda Galunas), Ryan Greenlow, Brianna Greenlow; great-grandchild Jaxon Stratton and her sisters Margot Vaccaro of East Hanover, NJ and Gail Russell of Arlington, VA.

Carol was predeceased by her husband Donald (2004) and son William (Buck) (1990) as well as her sisters, Velma Sheridan and Joan Gera.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Hampshire House in Oneonta and the doctors and nurses at Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown for their care and support.

Funeral and committal services will take place in the spring at a time and date to be announced. At that time, the family is asking that a donation to the Andes Fire Department be made in lieu of flowers.


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Karekin Markarian Obituary

Written By Editor on 12/30/19 | 12/30/19

Karekin Carl Markarian passed away on December 21, 2019 from heart failure.  Carl was born on June 1, 1936 in New York City to Mirhan and Mairenie Markarian.  He graduated from WC Bryant High School, served two years in the US Army stationed in Germany and upon discharge, lived in Astoria, NY until 1972 when he moved to Tannersville, NY.  He was a long time employee at the Hunter Mountain Ski Slopes, a job he loved.



Carl was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Rose Simonian Howard and Elizabeth Jenkins, his brother, Markar Markarian, his niece, Irene Nahabedian and his great nephew, Alex Nahabedian.  He is survived by his nephew, Sarkis Simonian, his nieces Constance Simonian, Arlene Markarian, and Morgan Jenkins, and great nephews Sarkis Simonian III and Vahan Nahabedian.

Carl was a gentle and generous person who loved his family and friends.  He loved country music, especially Hank Williams, and would play his guitar at family gatherings, where he would sing his favorite songs in his soulful voice.

There will be a gathering of family and friends on Monday December 30, 2019 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm at Millspaugh Camerato Funeral Home, 139 Jefferson Hgts., Catskill.  Interment will follow in the spring.

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Schoharie County Board of Supervisors Organizational Meeting

Written By Editor on 12/28/19 | 12/28/19

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors will be
holding their organizational meeting on Thursday, January 2, 2020 at 5:00 pm at 284 Main
Street, 3 rd Floor, Schoharie County Office Building, Board of Supervisors Chambers, Schoharie,
New York 12157.

Sheryl Largeteau, Clerk of the Board
Schoharie County Board of Supervisors
284 Main Street, 3 rd Floor
Schoharie County Office Building
Schoharie, New York 12157
(518) 295-8347

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Town of Windham Reorganizational Meeting Notice

Written By Editor on 12/21/19 | 12/21/19

NOTICE is hereby given that the Windham Town Board has scheduled the
Organizational Meeting of the Town of Windham for Thursday, January 2, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
at the Town Hall, 371 State Rt. 296, Hensonville, NY.

By Order of the Town Board
Bonnie Poehmel
Town Clerk
Dated: December 12, 2019

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Cherry to Leave Treasurer's Office After 24 Years

Written By Cicero on 12/19/19 | 12/19/19

 
An Era Draws to a Close in Schoharie County
By Timothy Knight 

Schoharie County Treasurer William “Bill” Cherry has held his title for almost as long as I have been alive. He came into countywide office on January 1st, 1996 and after twenty-four years of dedicated public service, he is set to leave elected office over the holiday season on December 31st

For many in Schoharie County, he is the only treasurer they have ever known. In a recent sit-down interview with the Mountain Eagle, Mr. Cherry discussed the past twenty-four years in a wide-ranging conversation that touched on everything from accomplishments to regrets. 

His story began many years before our final interview, nearly four decades in fact, when Mr. Cherry was a relatively new member of the Middleburgh community in the late 1970s. A member of the local Rotary Club, the young man printed community television guides out of his house. 

As Mr. Cherry recalls it, he was approached by the then-Mayor of Middleburgh – Charlie Slater – and asked to become a Village Trustee. The only problem is that the prospective trustee had no idea what the position actually entailed besides fleeting references in American cinema.

“But I only had heard the word ‘trustee’ in one context: it was the old George Raft prison movies where the trustee was the guy who had a stick with a nail in the end and he would pick up trash,” explained Mr. Cherry. Adding that Mayor Slater had said something about meeting in the park, the one-day treasurer came to the expectation of being handed one of those sticks and a canvas sack.

Luck would have Mr. Cherry being appointed to the Village Board instead of picking up errant trash, however. He would end up serving a few terms in Middleburgh before he moved his family and business to nearby Schoharie, where he was again approached to be Village Trustee and then later encouraged to run for Schoharie Town Supervisor.

Soon after becoming a supervisor, he was approached by then-Treasurer Lawrence “Larry” Tague to consider running for the countywide position due to Mr. Tague’s impending retirement. Mr. Cherry agreed to run for the position, and he was elected in November of 1995.

Early challenge

Upon taking office from his predecessor, Mr. Cherry found himself in the difficult position of uncovering a serious crime that was committed by Mr. Tague.

Alluding to a famous picture of a lighthouse off the coast of France that hangs in his office, Mr. Cherry said the lighthouse is never going to move, because it’s rock solid. It’s a picture he replaced after the original was destroyed in the flood, but it has hung there throughout his career as a reminder.

Commenting “Honestly, that event did shape the rest of my career,” Mr. Cherry explained that he was a political newcomer “who uncovered the thefts of money that was in the previous treasurer’s care and I brought it to life” by reporting the theft of three estates entrusted to Mr. Tague to court.

Ultimately, despite facing an immense amount of pressure from the political hierarchy, Mr. Cherry knew he was faced with a choice that gave him no choice. Further explaining that the press had tried to tie Mr. Tague’s crimes to the treasurer’s office, Mr. Cherry quipped “Government didn’t steal that money, Larry Tague did.”

Mr. Tague was arrested, convicted, and imprisoned for his crime.

Change in approach

In addition to the political changes that occurred when coming into office, so did the technological and regulatory components of the treasurer’s office dramatically change under Mr. Cherry’s leadership.

Explaining that all records were maintained by hand in ledgers when he first became treasurer, with all tax records being kept on index cards written in pencil, Mr. Cherry began the process of computerizing the treasurer’s office. Unfortunately, all of the hand-written records were destroyed in the flood, but they had electronic backups.

Another significant change in how the treasurer’s office operated was the implementation of monthly payment agreements for property owners in arrears on land taxes. Recalling an experience he had with an elderly lady from the Seward area who could not afford to pay her $600 in delinquent taxes, Mr. Cherry said that he realized “Some of the people I worked for were really struggling.”

This exchange spurred Mr. Cherry to authorize the elderly lady to make monthly payments on her taxes even though he did not have the legal ability to do so. Eventually, this practice was legally adopted, with Schoharie County being one of the few counties that does it. “The thing I’m most proud of is the number of people we’ve been able to help with payment agreements,” said Mr. Cherry.

Assemblyman Cherry?

Following the 2000 Census and subsequent legislative redistricting, Schoharie County found itself as the only county wholly part of the then 127th Assembly District and Mr. Cherry felt that the county should have a voice in Albany. Therefore, he disembarked on what he described in our interview as a “huge mistake” – he ran for Assembly in 2002.

Explaining that he thought there was a political ladder he was supposed to climb, Mr. Cherry tossed his hat into a three-way Republican primary for the Assembly seat and admitted that he was never so relieved then when it was over. In comparison to the tens of thousands of dollars his two opponents spent, Mr. Cherry expended only three thousand dollars and lost the primary by only 56 votes.

With his only foray into higher office ending in defeat, the treasurer remained focused on Schoharie County.

Debts and Floods

When Mr. Cherry took office as treasurer, Schoharie County was deeply in debt to the tune of $15 million with only a $31 million county budget to show for it. Explaining that he “made it my goal to get out of debt,” Schoharie County would become debt free by 2007. Unfortunately, mother nature would have other plans with the county’s financial fortunes.

Stating “the flood was a major challenge” might have been Mr. Cherry’s one understatement, as the floodwaters of Hurricane Irene caused sales revenues to decline, residential population to decline, and as the long serving treasurer put it, “county government was down on one knee.”

Functioning with no electronics and relocated from the Schoharie County office building, the treasurer’s office was tasked with paying payroll the Friday after the flood with no official checks.

“One of the hardest things was creating the confidence that government was going to continue to operate,” said Mr. Cherry before adding, “One of the important things was to pay county employees.” Thus, what was old became new again, as the treasurer’s office got their hand on starter checks from another branch of their bank outside of the flood and they hand wrote every employee’s check that week.

Mr. Cherry commented, “It was a huge challenge, but by the end of Friday, I think the people of the county knew we were going to get through this.”

With the flood came a new responsibility for Mr. Cherry: flood recovery coordinator. Tasked with overseeing the county’s response to Irene’s devastation, Mr. Cherry worked diligently to protect the county building by installing flood gates around the complex, to restore a sense of history by advocating for the Blenhein Bridge to be rebuilt, and to ensure a new county jail was constructed outside the flood plain.

“I’m really damn proud of these flood recovery projects,” stated Mr. Cherry, who further noted the total cost to local taxpayers is only $6 million in flood recovery debt. He is currently advocating for the county board to utilize a portion of the fund balance to pay off those debts.

Times are a-changin’

Despite the success Mr. Cherry had with flood recovery efforts after Irene, his relationship with the Schoharie County Board of Supervisors began to rapidly deteriorate during and as a result of the Ethington scandal, which was led by a Conservative Party insurgency both on the county board and in appointed governmental positions.

Explaining that there was a sense of the “16 being greater than the rest,” with Mr. Cherry namely blaming former Jefferson Town Supervisor Dan Singletary for such viewpoints, the treasurer said that the county board began to pull itself away from him.

This came at a time when Mr. Cherry became an outsized figure in county government, as he and a handful of allies on the county board began counter attacking the Ethington clan. He publicly supported his friend and Democratic Schoharie Town Supervisor Gene Milone while backing a successful Republican challenge against Mr. Singletary.

Ultimately, with the release of two reports that painted a sweeping picture of governmental wrongdoing by Personnel Director Cassandra Ethington and her cohorts, the political tide swept the conservatives out of office and a new crop of supervisors emerged. “Her dismissal was the right thing to do,” said Mr. Cherry about Ms. Ethington.

However, with this new crop of supervisors came an assumption that county government was dysfunctional, noted Mr. Cherry, and with it the rift between himself and the county board grew farther apart. “The Board of Supervisors has disconnected themselves in almost every way from the very people who put them there,” said Mr. Cherry.

Whether it be his frequent clashes with the county board over the stream bank project, employee and retiree’s health insurance, or budgetary decisions, Mr. Cherry was adamant that “I pick fights when I know I’m right.” After a recent proposal to settle the ongoing union negotiations by Mr. Cherry was all but ignored, he stopped attending county board meetings this summer.

When questioned on whether he had any regrets, Mr. Cherry said that he had wished there was a middle ground with the county board. Emphasizing that there was no changing him “speaking out when taxpayer money was at risk,” he regretted not being better at sticking to his guns whilst maintaining a working relationship with the board.

Looking back and beyond

There is little that Mr. Cherry has not been involved with over the past twenty-four years. For many years, he was the county board’s go-to elected official to assist with economic development, flood recovery, and even run the occasional department outside of his purview, but like all political eras there comes a dawn and a dusk when they are no longer nigh.

When asked how he would look back on his legacy, Mr. Cherry noted that implementing the monthly payment agreements “were the right thing to do” and that he maintained honesty and integrity as treasurer, with there being “never a question about my integrity.”

As a reporter, Mr. Cherry has been a source of many stories over the past six and a half years of my career in Schoharie County. We have shared information, broken bread over coffee or wine, and I have come to think of Mr. Cherry has a valued friend and trusted mentor.

His next step is similar to many folks who are entering retirement. His wife, Sherry, and he have eight grandchildren ranging from adulthood to infancy, and they intend to spend many days with them all. In addition to family life, Mr. Cherry intends to travel across the country with Sherry to see the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone in a used motor home they bought recently.

Mr. Cherry may still work part-time, but as he said to me with a warm smile, “I really want to spend time with family.”

Underneath the politics and public persona exists a man who is informed by his personal experiences. Mr. Cherry could empathize with struggling taxpayers because he grew up poor in a trailer and watched his mom struggle to survive, and while working to rebuild the county after Irene’s devastation, he too lost his home like many in the Schoharie Valley.

With our interview winding down, I asked Mr. Cherry if he wanted to say anything to the county’s taxpayers – the people who he repeatedly referred to as his employers – and he replied simply “Thank you,” before adding that, “Serving as Schoharie County Treasurer has been an unexpected honor.”

Coincidentally, as our interview came to its inevitable conclusion the county office building was being closed due to an issue on the second floor. Mr. Cherry told his staff to leave for the day and he hurried to get his belongings together before driving a friend home to Schenectady. Many years ago he might have been asked to assist with addressing the office building closure, but not anymore.

Someone else will rise to lead a new era in Schoharie County, but there may never be another like the community television guide publisher turned county treasurer. Debts and floods and politics have come and gone for Mr. Cherry, but the road ahead leads to grandchildren and the Grand Canyon.


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