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NY Tree Yields Mysterious “Cup of Wonder”

Bill Maher, Jr. has been living with an enigma for about thirty years. The ancient bronze cup with mysterious inscriptions occupies his desk at home, serving as an improvised pencil holder. Maher found the artifact as a boy, cutting firewood in the hills outside Wurtsboro, NY. The unique object was discovered inside an old tree, which had grown around it.

“We moved to Wurtsboro from Rockland County, I was eight years old,” Maher recalls. About a year later, his dad got a wood stove, and they went up on the slope of Shawanga Mountain to cut down some dead trees. “My dad was chain sawing them into logs, the thing came flying out of the tree, nearly hit me in the head.”

Maher’s father, Bill Sr., thinking it was an ordinary piece of pipe, instructed his son to throw the metal scrap away. “I picked it up and it was all green, but heavy, and was like ‘wow, maybe it’s gold.’” Disobeying dad’s instructions, the youngster put the urn in the pocket of his winter jacket. “I hid it in my underwear drawer, probably for about five years.”

Although heavily corroded, the artwork of a dragon was clearly visible, along with indecipherable writing on the bottom. “It was just like the neatest thing,” Maher remembers, “it was so cool.” Eventually, Maher’s parents learned about their son’s strange antique.

Bill’s parents contacted a local archaeological group to examine the specimen. The cup was studied for about six months, and returned. “He couldn’t find anything out,” Maher lamented, “but when he gave it back it was clean, it wasn’t green anymore. He had taken all the patina off.”

“And I’ve had it ever since,” Maher concluded. “It’s never left my side. I’ve done all the research I could do, reading about every possible culture, right down the Dewey Decimal System. But I could never find out what it said on the bottom. Every effort I made was always a dead end.”

Other ancient objects have been found in the same region, although not at this exact location. A bronze urn with Carthaginian motif was discovered near Binghamton, NY in 1973, dated to approx. 1500 BC. The existence of pre-Columbian bronze artifacts in America tends to confirm theories proposed by historian Fred Rydholm, author of Michigan Copper: The Untold Story — that the Bronze Age was supplied by Old World mariners visiting North America during biblical times.

Another related hypothesis claims that US Rt. 209 — considered the oldest highway in North America — was not built by the Dutch in the 1600s as commonly believed, but rather represents part of an ancient copper trade with Europe from thousands of years ago. There is evidence which points in that direction.

Rt. 209, formerly called “The Old Mine Road,” begins in Pennsylvania near East Stroudsburg, right across the Delaware River from Pahaquarry, NJ – the site of an ancient copper mine. The road heads northeast for just over a hundred miles, ending at the Hudson River in Kingston, NY. Along the way, the highway passes directly through Wurtsboro, NY.

An old lead mine is located right where Maher’s bronze urn was found. Known by native tribes, the lead vein was kept secret from colonists until about 1820. In addition, numerous carved tunnels appear up and down Rt. 209, dug with pick and wedge, indicating a possible ancient mining operation. Colonists like the Dutch used modern black powder to blast their mines; and the Native Americans were not known to work with metal at all.

Upon close scrutiny, the Dutch origin of Rt. 209 disintegrates. Henry Hudson discovered the area in 1609. Kingston, the Hudson River terminus of Rt. 209 (then called Wiltwyk or Esopus), was settled in 1652. It’s ludicrous to think the Dutch settlers would build a highway 100 miles south to Pahaquarry, through hostile frontier country, for purposes of copper mining. Logically the road would need to begin on the southern end, working the mine first. Merely a handful of agricultural Dutch families resided in Port Jervis (Maghaghkamik) at the time, about two-thirds the way down from Esopus.

Up until the early 1800s, the Old Mine Road marked the western boundary of America’s frontier; white settlers ventured there only at risk of being scalped. Plus, no records exist of road construction or industrial mining along Rt. 209. By contrast, the 1801 establishment of the Newburgh-Cocheton Turnpike, a plank road heading east-west through the same area, is well documented.

It is in this context that special attention is drawn upon archaeological bronze artifacts discovered in North America.

Looking at Maher’s urn, it features an ornate dragon wrapped around the side, in traditional Chinese artistic style. Several squiggly lines surrounding the dragon represent water and fire – although they could easily be misinterpreted for proto-Canaanite script. Characters etched on the bottom of the cup similarly resemble proto-Canaanite.

However, Donal B. Buchanan, editor of the Epigraphic Society Occasional Papers, identified the writing as old style Chinese. “The inscription is very clear and shows two Chinese characters in an ancient script-form dating back as much as 1500 years or more,” Buchanan confirmed. He cited as his reference Ueda’s Daijiten , a major Japanese dictionary of Sino-Japanese characters. “Each character has two elements side by side, a Radical (clue to the meaning) and a Phonetic (clue to the pronunciation). It is probably the name of the artist who created the urn. In this case the artist’s name is JEN LI.”

On the other hand, it is doubtful that a “Chinaman” working on the nearby O&W Railroad, or its predecessor Delaware & Hudson Canal, left the bronze object behind. “The Erie (preceding the Midland, corporate predecessor to the NYO&W) employed Irish and Italian laborers,” states Malcolm Houck, Publications Editor for the Ontario & Western Railroad Historical Society, citing “well documented fighting and battling between the distinct ethnic groups.”

Houck notes nearby Black Rock Cut (northwest of Port Jervis), ”the fighting and conflict became so intense that it acquired the moniker of the ‘Shin Hollow War’ and the Deer Park militia had to be mobilized to put down the strife.” Instead, Chinese labor was utilized towards the westernmost parts of the Transcontinental Railroad — not in Wurtsboro, NY.

“Chinese worked the western end of the Spokane, Portland & Seattle, as one of the last of the Western rail lines built (last leg of the last Transcon),” said Houck. “Their work through the Cascades was slower than the work of the Irishmen working from the East and the Irish were laid off while the Chinese were still working. The Irish descended on the Chinese encampments and beat and killed many Chinese laborers in their frustration and antagonism.”

Furthermore, Chinese labor was not probable along the old D&H Canal. “Most of the 19th Century canals were constructed with laborers recruited from the immediate localities through which they passed… although that was primarily for digging and earth moving — well within the capabilities of local rural (agricultural) folks,” Houck observes.

“This urn is inherently interesting,” said author Salvatore Michael Trento, who has been studying pre-Columbian artifacts for 35 years. “However, on a framework of analysis, it has to be an anomaly, because there’s only one Chinese urn.” Trento is a contemporary of the famous epigrapher Dr. Barry Fell (author of America B.C.: Ancient Settlers in the New World). Trento himself penned several important references including: Field Guide to Mysterious Places of Eastern North America; and The Search for Lost America: The Mysteries of the Stone Ruins. Trento also happens to be the person who the Maher family contacted 30 years ago to interpret the urn. Billy Maher had forgotten the archaeologist’s name, but they were reunited during the writing of this article.

“Where did it come from? It’s hard to know,” Trento admits. “It could be ancient — but then again, you find ancient bronze artifacts all over the Catskills, that were brought over during the Grand European Tour. Oriental art was very popular in this country from the 1870s to about the 1920s. Many mansions that you find along the Hudson Valley, you will find evidence of Tiffany using oriental motifs; Orientalism was a huge event at the time. That particular urn is intriguing because it’s old, it has some interesting marks and perhaps epigraphically is fascinating.”

Trento is wary over gullibility when interpreting ancient epigraphic translations, having witnessed first hand Barry Fell’s judgment errors — and subsequent tarnished credibility. “The translations are really cool, but you can go into any Chinese restaurant and see ancient inscriptions,” Trento warned. “That’s real interesting — I’m not trying to disparage anyone, but it doesn’t mean anything. You’ve got to be very careful when you find something out of context. And frankly, that’s the mistake that Barry Fell, and all the other people, when they were alive, made.”

He elaborated, “The problem with all those guys is they just took for granted what you found in the field. On one hand, it’s incredibly cool to find a rock that has markings on it, ‘oh my gosh!’ One [item] doesn’t mean anything. When you start finding more than one, and you start plotting out patterns, occupation sites, burial sites… That was the part that Barry and I used to constantly fight about, because people would send him photographs of a rock out in Colorado. He’d get this great translation – no doubt correct — but it was totally out of context.

“…And some other people sometimes would fool the guy. They would send him crap. The cowboys would send him stuff that was simply bogus. And he’d make these incredible claims, and unfortunately in the latter part of his life, he got discredited. Barry Fell was a brilliant guy, but he was too nice, and he got suckered by people who basically wanted to see this guy fail. I remember vividly being with him, we’d have these incredible knock-down arguments about protocol, and if you don’t apply protocol to what you’re finding, someone’s going to fool you, because people are just weird that way, particularly in that construct.

Based on experience, Trento urges caution with anomalous finds. “[the bronze urn] does not fit the pattern of some of the other material you find further south, which seems to be a pattern of epigraphy that pops up in that area time and time again, of the same type.” With three decades hindsight he declared,” I would love to do some more analysis on [the urn] now.”

Trento said the experts he consulted thirty years ago advised the urn was a tumbler for throwing divination sticks (similar to I Ching), based upon its size and shape. “We have the contacts now, the lab, we could figure this thing out in a heartbeat. If you really want to get into the details of that, probably would take a week these days to [find out] what it is.”

Billy Maher looks forward to finally solving the riddle which puzzled him for most of his life. By coincidence both he and Sal Trento currently reside in North Carolina. Plans are being hatched to put the artifact through state-of-the art scientific testing. A follow-up conclusion to this story might come shortly. And if there are any other mysterious bronze objects hidden within those Shawangunk Mountain backwoods, they will now be much easier to find — a recent forest fire just cleared out the entire western slope.

Robert Evan Walters lives in Mamakating, NY and publishes the online Mamakating Messenger.

Happy 200th Birthday, Sullivan County

Today is the official bicentennial of Sullivan County’s organization. A ceremony and historical presentation is taking place at the SC government center. Such activities were webcast live over the internet until this month. You cannot watch the event today, because NY Governor David Patterson cut the budget.

Message from Statewide Media Project:

With Gov. Paterson’s freeze on State Senate member items, he has turned the lights out on open government. We can no longer provide webcasting of Sullivan County Legislature meetings, since he froze the grant from [NY State] Sen. John Bonacic, which covered the cost of the webcasting. Please write to the Governor and tell him to restore Senate member item money.

To Write To The Governor: David A. Paterson State Capitol Albany, NY 12224

518-474-8390

Resident, Developer, Lock Horns at Bloomingburg Hearing

What was expected to be a routine session for a new grocery store, turned into a feisty verbal battle. Bloomingburg developer Duane Roe came to the village planning board on Thursday, March 19 to discuss his Market Street project at a public hearing. Mountain Road resident Gregory Ercolino also came.

Village Hall was standing room only, unusual for the sleepy little municipality nestled in the northeast corner of Sullivan County. Market Street is a preliminary road cut accessing commercial property behind the Brookins shopping plaza on Main Street (now known as the “Bloomingburg Grocery”).

A new building planned for the back area is proposed at 18,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor; additional office space upstairs of equal size. Part of the downstairs level will become a new bank, with the larger portion going towards a supermarket. A pharmacy might also be squeezed in the middle.

Village trustee Clifford Teich expressed concern that some of the businesses would compete with existing stores in the small burg, possibly causing some of them to close. Roe countered that his tenant would be First National Bank of Jeffersonville, which is based in Sullivan County, unlike the other two in town. He noted that the two existing banks in Bloomingburg have over $100 million combined in deposits. “You guys have to start spending it,” Roe quipped.

As for the threat against Brookins (Bloomingburg Grocery), Roe responded, “I’ve been approached by the owners of Brookins and we have been in negotiation.” Roe added that his stepmother owns the little liquor store on North Road, across the street from Village Hall. Several years ago, another liquor store opened next to Brookins on Main Street. “Where was everyone then,” asked Roe rhetorically, “I bit my tongue,” he explained, “it’s capitalism.”

Traffic flow will be improved on Main Street, because the new Market Street will bypass behind the Post Office and let out on Winterton Road, allowing south bound vehicles to avoid the traffic light in the center of Bloomingburg. Currently westbound traffic gets congested in the afternoon, as residents returning from work tie up the one-lane intersection. Market Street will have its own left turn lane, but no additional traffic lights are planned at this time.

Greg Ercolino complained that the new supermarket would “put another business out of business.” This meeting wasn’t recorded, a departure from standard operating procedure for the Mamakating Messenger. Perhaps just as well, for an audio record of the exchange between Ercolino and Roe might have proved embarrassing to both. Not that Eroclino would repent being outspoken. A town board meeting was abruptly adjourned on Nov. 18th of last year after Ercolino lambasted officials involved in the controversial Bloomingburg annexation project.

“You’re all talk, Greg,” Roe retorted, wondering if Ercolino introduced any local development solutions. “If you wanted to do the town a favor, you should bring ten gallons of paint and paint your house.” Ercolino took umbrage, challenging Roe, “are you stalking me?…”

Clearly under his skin, Roe brushed off Ercolino with a dismissive “blah, blah, blah…” Village attorney John Kelly intervened and demanded that the discussion stay on point, avoiding personal remarks. Planning board chairman Russell Wood, Jr. warned Ercolino he would be removed from the meeting should any perceived antagonism continue.

Ercolino inquired how many residential units are included in the Market Street project; to which Roe responded none. The residential project is named Chestnut Ridge and is located in another part of the village. The firebrand resident shot off another question: “What’s the tax liability of the [new] road [Market Street]?” Mayor Mark Berentsen said he didn’t know for sure; Roe suggested the costs of maintaining the road would be offset by tax revenues from the shopping plaza.

Click here to view a larger image of the site plan: http://midhudson.info/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/dsc00207_market_street_siteplan_detail.jpg

Asked by Ercolino if mayor Berentsen and Roe were business partners on the Market Street project, Berentsen answered “negative.” Not exactly, however their interests are mutually aligned. Bloomingburg village mayor Mark Berentsen and his wife Susan (the village clerk) own several parcels behind Brookins — but not the lot where the new supermarket is planned, for which the public hearing was being held. The mayor’s parents, Morris and Emma Berentsen, also own a few plots of land back there.

Two years ago, at the March 8, 2007 village board meeting, the combined parcels behind Brookins were all converted from residential zoning to commercial. Speaking at that hearing in ‘07, Mark Berentsen was quoted (before being elected mayor) in the Ellenville Journal as follows:

“We’ve done business there for forty years. We only want to do good for the Village of Bloomingburg. We can take our money and spend it anywhere, but we’re looking to spend it in Bloomingburg.” He added, “believe me, it’s not going to be a topsoil screening operation, I guarantee you that. And it’s not going to be anything that makes any dust, or any dirt, or any noise. It’s going to be things that you and your family will want to come visit.” Most likely, Berentsen said, his portion of the property would become eating establishments and retail. Restaurants, maybe a deli, or specialty foods. “But like I say, nothing’s etched in stone right now. We have to get approval. We have a limited lot size, we have limited square footage we can deal with. There’s not going to be any strip clubs.”

The next village planning board meeting is set for April 23rd at 7pm.


View Larger Map

Whitehead comes in last for Wurtsboro village mayor

The results of the three-way mayoral race in Wurtsboro village are in. Incumbent Michelena “Micky” Maher was re-elected by a wide margin. According to the Times Herald-Record, Micky got 203 votes, compared to Paul Champagne’s 28, and Bob Whitehead’s 24.

Barbara Piper beat out Robert H. Hawkes for village trustee, by 211 votes to 34.

That’s a landslide, considering such a slim turnout. Wurtsboro has under 1,000 registered voters.

Very little news was available for voters concerning this election. Champagne is known to be connected with the Wurtsboro Fire Department. Whitehead served three previous terms as mayor.

A feisty 79-year-old, Whitehead expressed disdain when the incumbents received cross-endorsement from both major parties. He referred to Maher’s administration as “yo-yos” at the February 2009 village meeting.

Maher and Piper counter that Whitehead didn’t seek nomination at either caucus this year.

Despite coming in last place, few could dispute that Whitehead had the best campaign poster:

“Luck of the Irish” for TH-Record Photographer

It doesn’t happen too often, but on March 17th, the Times Herald-Record sent a staff member down to the Mamakating town board meeting. He didn’t stay long, maybe about fifteen minutes to take some “file photos” for the daily rag out of Middletown. Everyone knew he was from the mainstream media, because of the large heavy duty camera he slung over his shoulder.

Too bad that guy (we didn’t get his name), showed up on St. Patrick’s Day; the entire town board was decked out in the goofiest Irish costumery this side of the Atlantic. Sporting a green T-Shirt emblazoned with the words “Irish Through & Through,” town clerk Jean Dougherty distributed adhesive shamrocks onto the faces on local constituents, bedecked with a green & white afro wig, and shiny emerald slippers. Town supervisor Bob Fiore made himself appear somewhat shorter by wearing an extra large leprechaun hat. Councilman Bob Justus showed up in a conservative green button down collar & necktie.

Oddly enough, the photographer complained that he could not use these “file photos” for his newspaper. But when advised that Mamakating Messenger has hundreds of straight town board pictures, he simply ignored that fact and left empty-handed.

More Local Washington Irving Writing Found

The following text comes from “The Journals of Washington Irving, Hitherto Unpublished,” 1919, Bibliophile Society (Boston, Mass.), edited by William Peterfield Trent (1862-1939) and George Sidney Hellman (1878-1958)

http://www.archive.org/stream/journalsofwashin03irviuoft/journalsofwashin03irviuoft_djvu.txt

After leaving Kingston half-past ten drive through Hurley then to Marlboro town enter into beautiful valleys between Shongo Mountains and Alleghanys former cultivated in some places to summits hamlets gleaming on sides.

Clouds rolled off to Catskill or Blue Mountains.

Vast sloping sides of Shongo Mountain richly cov- ered with opulent farms, etc.

Throughout the country solid stone farm-houses Dutch or rural aristocracy.

Dutch farm-houses with good barns pines sycamore, elm, and willow trees.

[191]

Valleys with immense fruit trees rich meadows winding streams.

Roseton scattered hamlet or village in rich valley with the broad, wooded slopes of the Shaw- angunk Mount[ain]s descend to it noise of drum from mountainside training day.

Beautiful variegated side of soft sloping Shawan- gunk distant blue summits of the Catskills.

Training picturesque groups on border of a pastoral stream (the Rondout) militia training in rich meadow with magnificent mountain scenery in the background horses galloping about the mead- ows one with two men on it.

Beautiful drive thro’ rich valleys with Rondout winding thro’ Alleghanys to right Shawangunk to left.

Dine at Widow Hournbeck’s ham and eggs.

Waggon loads of the tram bands arrive heavy shower.

Set off about six o’clock after a time a heavy shower comes on with thunder dark only see our road by flashes of lightning.

Arrive safe at Ellenville where we put up for the night at very indifferent inn kept by .

Pomposity of Dutch dignitaries Dutch proud - leave Ellenville at six o’clock drive along the hollow which narrows to Wurtsboro at Mr. Nevins’ good house see Judge Demick.

Leave Wurtsboro at ten cross the Shawangunk mountains. Splendid view from the summit of the mountain looking towards Highlands surveying the varied valley of the Wallkill and a rich, broken country of vast extent watered by vari- ous streams winding their way to bear tributes to the Hudson.

[192]

Distant line of blue mountains across the country with the gap on entrance to the Highlands thro’ which the Hudson enters.

Scenery of all these parts like the Italian scenery bordering on the Apennines.

Fun With Monotype Script

Inspired by Bob Whitehead’s imaginitive “Babe Ruth” campaign poster (due to be unfurled next week in Wurtsboro’s three-way mayoral race), we decided to have a little bit of fun with the baseball theme. The cursive typeface, sometimes called “Ballpark Weiner,” is actually a knockoff from Monotype Script Bold,  standard with the Windows XP operating system. The fancy business at the bottom is generated by a font called “Ballpark Swosh” from Letter Head Type (LHT), a speciality foundry. The serif text is Garamond, a French face from the 16th Century, which serves as an elegant departure to the hackneyed Times Roman. We’ve made similar logos for Bloomingburg and Wurtsboro, which you’ll probably see around town on T-shirts and postcards when the weather gets warm.

Patricia Irene Moore, Wurtsboro, NY

Patricia Irene Auer Moore, a longtime resident of Wurtsboro, NY, passed away on February 8, 2009, at O.R.M.C., Arden Hill Campus in Goshen, NY.

“Pat” was born March 11, 1928, in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of the late John Clancy Auer and Elizabeth Egan Auer.

A longtime resident of Wurtsboro, NY, she married Thomas C. Moore in 1948 and raised a large family. In addition to guiding her family, Pat worked as a waitress, a school bus driver, a writer for the Evening News and later for the Town and Village in various capacities including Town Clerk and Village Mayor.

In her “spare” time she was active in the Ave Maria Guild, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Wurtsboro Art Society, Bottom of the Mountain Group, a member of Mamakating First Aid Squad and helped to organize the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at St. Joseph’s Church in Wurtsboro, NY.

She is survived by seven children: Thomas and his life partner, Mariann Stepp, Patricia, Kevin and his wife, Tish, Sean and his life partner, Lynne Ejericto, Danny and his wife, Jamie, Brian and his wife, Conchita, and Brendan. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Thomas C. Moore; sister, Alice Goss, brothers, Edward and Jack Auer, and William C. Reilly, to whom she was married for a brief time.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home, 111 Sullivan St., Wurtsboro, NY.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, February 11, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Sullivan St., Wurtsboro, NY, with Fr. Peter Madori officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Wurtsboro.

Arrangements by VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Wurtsboro. For additional information, please call 845-794-4141 or visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com.

Sullivan Board of Elections: Massive Overcharging for Voter Database

Sullivan County Board of Elections charges fifty dollars for a CD-ROM containing the voter enrollment database, which is a public record subject to Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). This is vastly more expensive than the price for Ulster County’s voter enrollment (free), and Orange County’s voter enrollment (ten dollars).

In fact, it seems that local counties are making up their own prices, arbitrarily. However, the state agency assigned to issue official opinions on the matter says these voter enrollment databases should be provided for the only cost of the blank disk — about one dollar.

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/freedomfaq.htm#charge

How much can I be charged for public records? An agency may charge up to twenty-five cents per photocopy not in excess of nine by fourteen inches, or in the case of records that cannot be photocopied, the actual cost of reproduction (for example, photographs, computer discs, tape recordings, etc.), unless otherwise prescribed by statute. With few exceptions, an agency cannot charge for search or clerical time. An agency cannot charge for records transmitted via email.

The following message was sent to Robert Freeman of the NY State Committee on Open Government. The COOG issues advisory opinions for problems pertaining to Freedom of Information Law requests.

Sir/Madam:
Today I contacted the Board of Elections in Sullivan Co., NY and asked the price for a CD-ROM with the complete voter enrollment database. They informed me the price was fifty dollars. Town-by-town files were priced at $1 per 700 voters, with a five dollar minimum.
I asked to speak to an election commissioner and told him of the new laws regarding access to public records in electronic format, to wit: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/freedomfaq.htm . He responded that the Sullivan County fee policy has been in place for a long time.
For purposes of comparison, Ulster County promptly mails a CD-ROM with voter enrollment database for free. Orange County currently asks ten dollars for the same item.
Please provide an advisory opinion whether each county Board of Elections can arbitrarily set their own price for a voter enrollment database CD-ROM — or if they should instead base the price on the actual cost of the storage medium as stated on the COOG website FAQ.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.

See for comparison Advisory Opinion # f11402:

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/ftext/f11402.htm

In my view, while a compact disk might be likened to a database, the fee that could be assessed for reproducing either must be based upon the actual cost of reproduction. If the County Code authorizes a “one time fee” for the duplication of a database, or if a similar fee is established relative to a compact disk, unless the fee is reflective of the actual cost of reproduction, I believe that it would be invalid.
Based upon the foregoing, a fee for reproducing electronic information generally would involve the cost of computer time, plus the cost of an information storage medium (i.e., a computer tape or compact disk) to which data is transferred. If the duplication of the data involves a transfer of data from one disk to another, computer time may be minimal, perhaps a matter of seconds. If that is so, the actual cost may involve only the cost of a disk.
Lastly, the suggestion by the Counsel to the County Legislature that actual cost involves money expended in developing an information system is in my view inaccurate. Based upon the terms of the Freedom of Information Law and its judicial interpretation, actual cost involves only reproduction of a record, not the monies expended in development of an information system or the purchase of hardware or software. I note, too, that although compliance with the Freedom of Information Law involves the use of public employees’ time and other costs, the Court of Appeals has found that the Law is not intended to be given effect “on a cost-accounting basis”, but rather that “Meeting the public’s legitimate right of access to information concerning government is fulfillment of a governmental obligation, not the gift of, or waste of, public funds” [Doolan v. BOCES, 48 NY 2d 341, 347 (1979)].

And see also Advisory Opinion # f14773, where COOG goes into much more detail:

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/ftext/f14773.htm

Yet the crux of the issue remains the same:

“It makes little sense to implement computer systems that are faster and have massive capacity for storage, yet limit access to and dissemination of the material by emphasizing the physical format of a record. FOIL declares that the public is entitled to maximum access to public records [Fink v. Lefkowitz, 47 NY2d 567, 571 (1979)]. Denying petitioner’s request based on such little inconvenience to the agency would violate this policy.”

But it gets better. A different keyword search brings up Advisory Opinion # f12092, which directly addresses the instant matter against Sullivan Co. BOE policy:

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/ftext/f12092.htm

You indicated that the fee for “a machine-readable copy of portion of the registered voter roster is $11.00 ($1.00 for disk media plus a $10.00 ‘setup’ fee), plus $.005 per voter.” You added that having made a request for “a complete county list”, you were informed “no more than 23 minutes later”, that it was ready for you to pick up.
In my view, the basis of the fee is inappropriate and inconsistent with law. As you are likely aware, §87(1)(b)(iii) of the Freedom of Information Law authorizes agencies to charge up to twenty-five cents per photocopy for records up to nine by fourteen inches, or the actual cost of reproducing other records (i.e., those that cannot be photocopied, such as computer tapes or disks, tape recordings, etc.), unless a different fee is prescribed by statute.
The amount of fees permitted to be charged for a computerized voter registration list was considered at length in Schultz v. New York State Board of Elections ( Supreme Court, Albany County, September 7, 1995). The court determined the issue by viewing both the Freedom of Information Law and sections of the Election Law, stating that:
‘The language of the Freedom of Information Law ( Public Officers Law, sct. 87 (1)(b)(iii), which limits charges for requested public records to ‘the actual cost of reproducing’ [emphasis added], is elucidating. ‘Actual cost’ would reasonably seem to mean more finite, direct and less inclusive than’[indirect] cost’, which is a concept as infinite and expandable as the mind of man. ‘Reproducing’ a record certainly does not include ‘producing’ a record in the first place -i.e., compiling the information from which the record is produces. The purpose and intention of the Freedom of Information Law is to further the concept of open government. For this reason charges for public records must be kept to a minimum. In a sense the information compiled by counties under election Law 5-602 and 5-604 is a part of that concept and charges for that information must be kept to a minimum so as to maximize access thereto.”
Further, using the standard of “actual cost of reproduction”, it was stated that:
“Where the record is a computerized record the charge shall be limited to the cost of a diskette or other computerized tape and a reasonable amount for the salary of the employee downloading said diskette or tape during the time such diskette or tape is being downloaded.”
When reproduction of a voter list involves a simple transfer of data from one storage medium to another, i.e., from a computer to one or more tapes or disks, I believe that the time and effort to do so would be minimal. If that is so, the “actual cost” would involve computer time, the cost of a tape or disk, plus the minimal cost of personnel time of an employee. There is no basis, in my view, for charging a “setup” fee or a fee determined by the number of names produced.
With respect to the removal of data, by way of background, relevant is §5-602 of the Election Law, entitled “Lists of registered voters; publication of”, which states that voter registration lists are public. Specifically, subdivision (1) of that statute provides in part that a “board of elections shall cause to be published a complete list of names and residence addresses of the registered voters for each election district over which the board has jurisdiction”; subdivision (2) states that “The board of elections shall cause a list to be published for each election district over which it has jurisdiction”; subdivision (3) requires that at least fifty copies of such lists shall be prepared, that at least five copies be kept “for public inspection at each main office or branch of the board”, and that “other copies shall be sold at a charge not exceeding the cost of publication.”
In like manner, §3-220(1) of the Election Law states in part that: “All registration records, certificates, lists and inventories referred to in, or required by, this chapter shall be public records…” Additionally, §5-210 of the Election Law, entitled “Registration and enrollment and change of enrollment upon application”, includes reference to voter application forms and provides in paragraph (k) of subdivision (5) that the form must include:
“(i) A space for the applicant to indicate whether or not he has ever voted or registered to vote before and, if so, the approximate year in which he last voted or registered and his name and address at the time.
(ii) The name and residence address of the applicant including the zip code and apartment number, if any.
(iii) The date of birth of the applicant.” (iv) A space for the applicant to indicate whether or not he is a citizen of the United States. (v) The gender of the applicant (optional).
(vi) A space for the applicant to indicate his choice of party enrollment, with a clear alternative provided for the applicant to decline to affiliate with a party.
(vii) The telephone number of the applicant (optional).
(viii) A place for the applicant to execute the form on a line which is clearly labeled ‘signature of applicant’…”
With regard to your questions, I know of no provision in the Election Law that would require that a board of elections to include any items other than names and residence addresses in voter registration lists. However, if they are included in computerized data pursuant to the Election Law, for the reasons described earlier, I believe that they would be accessible.

Here is yet another Advisory Opinion # f12067, upholding the Freedom of Information Law, and stating that arbitrary fees imposed by Boards of Election are “inconsistent with law:”

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/ftext/f12067.htm

See also Advisory Opinion # f11708

http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/ftext/f11708.htm

There is an alternative method to request the same information by applying directly to the NY State Board of Elections, using an online form here: http://www.elections.state.ny.us/FoilRequests.html — which is wonderful, but the form doesn’t work, can’t establish a connection to the server for submission. We called the State BOE, and guess what, they mail a voter enrollment CD-ROM, for free. Go figure.

Section 3-220 of the NY State Election Law declares voter enrollment lists to be “public records.” Nothing in the statute authorizes the BOE to set their own fees for access to public records. Therefore, the regular fees stipulated under FOIL apply.

Read the NYS Election Law here:

http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/download/law/2008NYElectionLaw.pdf

Contact info for the Sullivan County BOE:

http://www.co.sullivan.ny.us/orgMain.asp?sid=&orgId=465

Sullivan County Board of Elections

Government Center, 100 North Street

P. O. Box 5012, Monticello, NY 12701-5192

Phone: 845-794-3000 Ext. 5024

Fax: 845-794-0183

Pine Bush Area Public Library — Feb. ‘09 News

PINE BUSH AREA PUBLIC LIBRARY E-NEWS

FEBRUARY 2009

Used Book Sales are held on Saturdays in the Library Annex from 10-2. At the same time, one-on-one computer help for beginners is available. Please call to reserve a time.

Federal and State Income Tax forms are available in the Library. AARP Tax-Aide Counseling is available to Seniors on Fridays. Please call for an appointment.

Be sure to look at the wonderful paintings by Nancy Navikas on display in the Library.

Friends of the Library meet February 12th in the Library Annex at 2 pm. Come for a planning session and some socializing.

Activities for children:

  • Friday Story time for preschool children is full, but we are taking names for a waiting list for an upcoming story time. Please call the Library for information. If any parent would like to be a reader, please let us know.

  • During the week of 2/9 - 2/14, children of all ages can stop by to “Make Your Own Valentine.”

  • On February 4, 2009 the children from Metropolis Day Care came to visit. Miss Vicki told them all about the Library, and read them a story about a snowman. The children had fun decorating a paper snowman.

  • Literacy classes are held here (both ESL and learning to read for adults), and are available through Orange Literacy from Middletown. Please call for information.

New Library Loan Periods for 2009:

  • Videos & DVDs can be signed out for 3 days. Late charges for Videos and DVDs are 50 cents per day.

  • Books and materials from the main collection are now 3-week loans. Fines for overdue books and materials are 20 cents per day.

When driving conditions are questionable on snowy days, please call the Library at 744-3375 to hear a message for the Library’s schedule. No fines for materials are due on the days we have to close because of weather

Library Hours:

  • Monday & Wednesday - 9-7
  • Tuesday & Thursday - 2-8
  • Friday - 9-5
  • Saturday - 10-2

Library Telephone: (845) 744-3375

DORIS CALLAN Library Director

Mamakating Town Budget, Online in Several Formats

Well, we finally got our hands on the 2009 Mamakating Town Budget. Red tape and miscommunication took about three months to obtain original Excel spreadsheet computer files from the accounting firm. It remains unclear whether anyone would actually be interested in looking at the budget in soft format. Doing so allows more powerful analysis, such as adding up the numbers yourself, or plotting charts and graphs from the data. A spreadsheet also empowers analysts to cross-reference one town budget with another town’s financials — theoretically, provided both municipalities keep their data fields in a similar order. In the future, of course, all government data will be mandated to be in a unified spreadsheet format. Until that time, here are the current files, pulled like teeth without anesthetic.

2009 Mamakating Budget as MS Excel [122.5 KB]: http://midhudson.info/documents/Mamakating_Budget_2009.xls

2009 Mamakating Budget as Acrobat PDF [34 KB]: http://midhudson.info/documents/Mamakating_Budget_2009.pdf

An interesting theory was put forth by an employee of the accounting firm Rouis & Co. of Wurtsboro, as to why we couldn’t have the Excel spreadsheets. It was suggested that providing the budget in soft format would allow someone to alter the town budget in an unauthorized fashion. Such a fallacy would imply that the Board of Elections compromises the integrity of their databases when providing public copies of the county voter roll, or election results, in spreadsheet format. Rouis & Co also demanded approval from the town supervisor prior to releasing these public records. But now that these files are online, you no longer need anybody’s permission to see them.

Funding Crisis to Shut Down Local Elementary School

Monticello Central School District superintendant Patrick Michel spoke at the Feb. 3rd Mamakating town board meeting, about a possible closure of Emma Chase Elementary School in Wurtsboro.

The situation has been caused by a fiscal crisis at the state level, resulting in a $3.5 million shortfall in state funding to the Monticello school district. The bottom line is either find another $3.5 million, or close down one of the schools: Emma Chase Elementary, or the Duggan Elementary School in White Lake.

Nobody’s quite sure which school will get the axe, or if an alternative solution can be found.

Closure of Emma Chase would have a devastating effect on the village of Wurtsboro. Insiders from the Duggan school zone seem to think that their building is more at risk of being shut down. The Duggan parents have formed a group with a website here: http://savedugganschool.org .

A meeting is scheduled at the Emma Chase Elementary School library, for 7pm, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009, to discuss the matter.

[more to follow, come back soon for an audio clip of Supt. Michal’s discussion]

Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You

Pictured above are Michael Murphy and Laura Barker of HDR Engineering Inc., who consulted the Mamakating town council, planning board, and ZBA for the past year. Average billing was $15,000 per month, for approximately 19 projects per month, Barker said. The team handed out a large packet to board members, and spoke for over twenty minutes…

…All to no avail, because after they finished their presentation, the town board instead voted to appoint Lanc & Tully as engineers for 2009. No discussion took place, except for councilman Teddy Brebbia voting in opposition because he was left out of the vetting process due to alleged miscommunication. Later on, during public comment, resident Gregory Ercolino questioned the switch to Lanc & Tully. Ercolino believes Lanc & Tully previously billed the town for engineering services performed by unlicensed personnel. Councilman Bob Justus offered a rebuttal, but promised to investigate Ercolino’s allegation.

Don’t believe everything you see! The photograph provided of HDR employees, showing expressions of deer caught in headlights, is actually a composite of two separate images. The snapshots were combined because both never looked towards the camera simultaneously. The seam is slightly visible near Laura’s hair, where it touches her right shoulder. There is also slight airbrushing near Michael’s hand. Click the photograph to inspect it closer. News media routinely manipulate images, sound bites, quotations, facts, and story lines, to suit their own purposes. Just because it looks real, doesn’t necessarily make it true.

Teddy Brebbia Presents Long-Term Capital Plan

One of the more interesting items on the Mamakating town board agenda for 2009 is a long-term capital plan proposal, made by deputy town supervisor Ted Brebbia. He indicated that no similar prudent fiscal preparations have ever been enacted locally, to his knowledge.

Teddy’s long-term plan focuses on the town’s fleet of aging highway department trucks, which are very expensive to replace. The current fiscal crisis sweeping the nation, which acutely affects municipalities due to a dwindling tax revenue base, has caused a painful pinch in Mamakating — particularly in regards to purchasing new trucks.

Brebbia proposes allocating funds several years ahead, so that revenue is secured by the town before a truck falls apart. It’s kind of like Christmas shopping, we all know the holiday is coming around, but few bother to save properly to afford the inevitable spending spree. So that’s Ted’s proposal in a nutshell — advanced fiscal planning — which turns out to be a radical concept in American government.

The end result would be a smooth rotating replacement of aging town infrastructure. We’re not getting something for nothing, but as everyone knows, being broke all of a sudden usually winds up being expensive, both in the long term and the short hairs. Also, nobody likes having the battery fall out of the floor of the snow plow, or catch on fire, during a blizzard. Brebbia’s plan promises to keep the town’s fleet in relatively good condition, without breaking the bank.

Do his numbers check out? I really don’t know. We voted the guy into office; most people will simply trust Brebbia at his word — especially since he’s apparently the only official bothering to crunch the numbers (let alone think about it). But if you’re curious, go see for yourself. Check out his written report, and listen to the audio of Ted’s presentation to the board.

[more to follow, come back soon for the files & sound bites]

Sullivan County Legislature Meetings Now Online

Concerned citizens can now watch the Sullivan County Legislature in action, thanks to a free service by the Statewide Media Project. The most recent upload is the State of the County Address, delivered by legislative chairman Jonathan Rouis on Jan. 22nd, 2009

This is a very convenient resource, since most people have neither the time or inclination to drive up to Monticello, NY — at odd hours — in order to watch their elected officials. The county legislature holds its regular meetings at 2 pm in the afternoon.

Most remarkable is the professional quality of these recordings. The webcast image is clear and the soundboard audio fidelity comes across perfectly. Bravo!

Watch the Sullivan County Legislature here: http://www.totalwebcasting.com/live/sullivan

The Statewide Media Project appears to be a division of Hank Gross’s Empire State News, and is not affiliated with midhudson.info.

And now for something completely different…

Today’s Times Herald-Record featured a sensationalized article about tumultuous disputes at a recent meeting of the village board in Monticello, our Sullivan county seat.

At issue is the sudden replacement of Monticello village manager John Barbarite with Zachary Kelson. In the past, Kelson has served as attorney for the village Wurtsboro, and also the Mamakating planning board. He has been the village attorney for Liberty, and currently sits as town attorney for Mount Hope in Orange County.

Kelson also represented incumbent Mamakating town supervisor Mary Barbuti during the 2001 general election — which she lost by 18 votes to Democratic challenger Fred Harding. Kelson, of the Monticello law firm Gerstman, Ledina & Kelson, is the son-in-law of Republican Sullivan County Court judge Burton Ledina. Hon. Burt Ledina furthermore serves as Sullivan County Surrogate judge, Family Court judge, and acting State Supreme Court judge.

Let the people of Mamakating examine the controversy in Monticello — along with the manner with which the Times Herald-Record paints that place as a zoo. Then take a look at the YouTube video posted in the TH-R reader’s forum. Notice how much more involved the community is with their local government?

Monticello meeting turns into shoutfest http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081216/NEWS/812160335

New village manager on job today http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081215/NEWS/81215043

Monticello board meeting might be ruled illegal http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081215/NEWS/812150336

Watch a rowdy Monticello village board meeting on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i33DYcbY_e0

Hudson Valley Veterinary Medical Society: 50th Anniversary

Below is an press release sent out by Linda Tintle of Wurtsboro. Our only question is whether this milestone is marked in “dog years,” or human years? Can we get a “woof-woof!”

The Hudson Valley Veterinary Medical Society celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its formation at its November meeting in Fishkill, NY. The occasion was marked by the attendance of New York State Veterinary Medical Society (NYSVMS) President, Dr. David Hancock and his wife, President of the NYSVMS Auxiliary Ann Hancock, who traveled from the Genesee Valley to offer congratulatory remarks to the society’s members.

The Hudson Valley Veterinary Medical Society represents 173 member veterinarians from Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster counties. The society was formed to advance the science and profession of veterinary medicine, to foster and maintain high standards of integrity, honor, courtesy and ethics within the profession, to guard and foster the protection of the public and animal health and to enlighten and inform the public in regard to veterinary medicine, science and knowledge as it affects the public good and welfare. It fosters collegiality and communication among regional veterinarians and offers regular high quality continuing education programs for veterinarians throughout the year.

The November meeting featured a panel discussion on “Animal Welfare, Veterinarians and the Law” with NYSVMS Attorney Barbara Ahern, Dutchess County SPCA Humane Law Officers Jami Landry and Stephanie Fitzpatrick, Dutchess County Assistant District Attorney Sara Thompson and Lawrence Bartholf, DVM. In difficult economic times, animals can be among the first to suffer and a presentation on recognizing animal abuse and neglect and assisting in getting the afflicted animals the necessary help and care through appropriate legal channels was marked by moving examples of cases of animal cruelty from this area.

The Hudson Valley Medical Society Officers include President Julie Fixman, DVM, DABVP of Mahopac, NY, Secretary, Alison Kaufman DVM of Ancramdale, NY, Treasurer, James Zgoda, DVM of Campbell Hall, NY, Past President, Jerry Scheck, DVM of Hopewell Junction, NY, Ethics Chairman, Christopher Proto, DVM of Mahopac NY, Small Animal Continuing Education Chairman Joseph Impellizeri, DVM, DACVIM of Wappingers Falls, NY, Large Animal Continuing Education Co-Chairwomen Nina Deibel, DVM of Rhinebeck, NY and Heather O’Leary DVM of Rhinebeck, NY and NYSVMS Regional Director Linda Tintle, DVM of Wurtsboro, NY.

Attached Photo, Pictured Left to Right: Drs. Linda Tintle, Julie Fixman, Alison Kaufman, Christopher Proto, David Hancock and his wife Ann Hancock, Drs. Lawrence Bartholf, James Zgoda, and Joseph Impellizeri.

Pine Bush Library Newsletter - December 2008

The Library has used book sales at the Annex on Saturdays each week from 10 to 2. Volunteers are needed to help with the sales.

Cele Spadola, President of the Friends’ group, thanks everyone including the bakers and the supporters at their Thanksgiving bake sale. It was a huge success.

The Friends of the Library are now busy baking cookies for their annual Cookie Walk and Holiday Fair scheduled for December 20th from 9 am - 1 pm. Trays of cookies are placed on the large table in the annex and the buyer selects cookies of his/her choice, places them in a bakery box and when finished, are weighed and purchased by the pound. The price per pound of $6.00 will remain the same as last year. If anyone would like to bake their favorite cookies for the sale, you are more than welcome to do so.

Numerous raffles are being offered at the Library for the holidays. You can buy your chances now. The drawing will be on the 20th at the Cookie and Holiday Fair. The Friends are offering a Book Lovers 2009 calendar for $8.00, a savings of $4.00, which makes a great gift. New tote bags are available for $8.00, as well as handmade beaded book marks for $3.00 which were made by some of the Friends.

Check out the new programs being planned or started:

  • New story times
  • An evening book discussion group
  • A knit/crochet café, now known as the Knitwits has begun. You can still join.
  • Saturday computer classes for beginners are now in session. If you have signed up, you will soon get a call.

Bob Scully’s paintings will be on view in the main library through the end of the year.

Video and DVD membership comes due in January, 2009. Due to the cost of the DVD’s, we must increase the dues to $15 for the year. You are entitled to take out 3 at a time for a two day period. We request that they are not returned in the book drop.

Effective January 1, 2009, there will be a new library loan period of 3 weeks instead of the 2 for the main collection only. All loan periods for the other collections will remain the same.

As a reminder, our hours are as follows: Monday & Wednesday 9 AM-7 PM, Tuesday & Thursday 2 PM-8 PM, Friday 9 AM-5 PM and Saturday 10 AM-2 PM. No hours on Sunday.

The Library will be closed for Christmas as follows:

  • December 24, 25, 26 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)

  • We will reopen on Saturday, December 27th.

  • The Library will be open on Wednesday, December 31st until 3:00 pm for the New Years’ Holiday and will reopen on January 2nd.

  • In the event of inclement weather, please call the Library at 744-3375 and listen to the voice mail message.

The Board of Trustees and the library staff wish you all a great Holiday and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

Doris Callan, Library Director

Village of Bloomingburg minutes: November 13, 2008

REGULAR VILLAGE OF BLOOMINGBURG MEETING

November 13, 2008

Present:

            Mayor Mark Berentsen

            Trustees: Peggy Wood and Clifford Teich

Mayor Berentsen opened the meeting with the pledge of allegiance.

Minutes- accepted by C. Teich and seconded by P. Wood

Treasurer's Report was read by S. Berentsen

Building Dept. Report was read

Sewer Report by R. Wood, Jr.-was read

Old Business:

Library:  S. Berentsen- The library moved the last items out on Monday. Should I
just send final bill for half of electric? Board was in agreement as the back rent
of $600. a month cannot be enforced,  as the lease was never signed by the Library.

Main Street project: M. Berentsen-  Tom Depuy and myself  took a trip to Binghamton
to meet with Dave McEwan the  head of DOT.  Basically Delta Engineering dropped the
ball after they received in  excess of $100,000 for the design fees.   Dave McEwan
was not happy with Delta Engineering.   They will do the final design.   I received
an E-Mail from DOT that the LET date had been moved back to the original date of
2009 from 2014.  

High Street project: M. Berentsen:  After the meeting with Dave McEwan from the DOT-
I believe he told Delta Engineering to release the survey information to the
Village. The Village paid for this information in the design part of the Main St.
project. This will help  get a little  more for our money as we won't have to have
the survey completed again.  Tom Depuy is working on it.  If we design this project
in four parts it will not need to go out for bid.  That is what we are looking to
do.  

New Business:

            Resolution 7-2008-09- Election day- Wed. March 18, 2008

            C. Teich asked if all Villages were holding elections on Wed. since St.
Patrick's Day was on Tues.  S. Berentsen : yes

            Motioned by : P. Wood and Seconded by: C. Teich All in Favor

            Resolution #8-2008-09- Village Registration Day-

            C. Teich was just concerned about the voter registration list being
correct.  M. Berentsen explained the homesteaders act.  Which allows an
individual to keep his residency in the Village, as long as he has a
place to reside, and has the intention to some day return to the
Village.   S. Berentsen: anyone can get a copy of the registration rolls
from the Board of Elections.

            Motioned by: P. Wood and Seconded by: C. Teich- All in favor.

            Resolution #9-2008-09- Election Inspectors

            Motioned by: C. Teich and Seconded by: P. Wood- All in favor

            Resolution #10-2008-09-Election Polling Place

            Motioned by P. Wood and Seconded by C. Teich-  All in favor.

            Resolution#1102008-09-Feasibility study on Sewer Plant property

            M. Berentsen: When the property was annexed into the Village the mobile
home park owners were to give 2 acres of property for the update of the
sewer treatment plant.  Things are not going well and the owners refuse
to give the property.  The developer that was involved with the
annexation does not wish to pursue this avenue.  To fight the annexation
could be court proceedings and may be lengthy.  The developer is looking
into placing the new sewer plant on the old sewer plant property.  This
would entail removing a couple of the old beds to make room.  The old
beds have issues which the DEC has addressed.  At this time the
developer is willing to update the beds.  This could be a positive move
for the Village because the DEC may look at the project as an update to
our facility.  We just want to look into this- The developer's engineer
has about 85% of the engineering done and he doesn't see a problem with
it.  

            C. Teich:  what does our operator feel about this? R. Wood, Jr.  I think
it is great- The engineer obviously knows more than I.

            P. Wood:  So then the developer will update nine beds and take out three
beds? M. Berentsen: yes.

            C. Teich: Will this cost us anything? M. Berentsen: no the developer is
paying the engineer.

            M. Berentsen: The developer tells me that all of the funding is in place
and they are ready to go.  The developer does not like to get into
conflicts and feels this is the best.

            H. Baird- Is there anything that can be done if the party doesn't give
the 2 acres?  They agreed at the time of the annexation and now they
won't give up the property.  Do we have to allow them to use the sewer
plant?   M. Berentsen:  nothing can be done.

            C. Teich: Where will the developer have his water?  M. Berentsen on
Winterton Rd.  He will provide the Village with a 6" Main and we will be
responsible for the Village.

            C. Teich: I don't have a problem with this-

            C. Teich motioned and P. Wood seconded   All were in favor

C. Teich:  Now that the Library is out what do we plan to do with the area that they
were renting?  Could this be a source of income?  M. Berentsen- we need to give this
some thought.  Right now I think we will just winterize it- basically turn  the heat
off.  To rent it we need to put in another bathroom.  We definitely don't want the
same situation that we had.  C. Teich agreed and wanted to know if we had anyone
interested in the space.  M. Berentsen- The space is probably worth $1,000 per
month.  Right know I think we should just save on the heat.  If the Library was
going to stay, we had volunteers that were going to build a bathroom so that Library
customers were not going through the Village office to use the restrooms.  But they
moved.

C. Teich:  I have these brochures for Holiday lighting I didn't know what you wanted
to do?  P. Wood expressed an interest- she likes the snowflakes- C. Teich agreed.
M. Berentsen suggested that we buy a couple new Holiday lighting pieces each year,
to upgrade.  C. Teich also liked the lighting piece shown in the brochure.  He said
that that was something that he would like to see done at our bridge "Gateway to the
Catskills"   C. Teich: also added that possibly we could get the bridge lighting
project as part of the Renaissance project for the Village.  He had originally told
the Renaissance when he was involved at one of the first meetings that he would have
a big project in the future.  The Board had a discussion on the bridge project.  P.
Wood spoke to Rich Memelaar who is interested in fabricating the steel structure.
The discussion went on about height and DOT requirements as it will be on a Village
road.  C. Teich commented how nice the bridge into Montgomery looks all lit up.

BOARD COMMENT: NOTHING

PUBLIC COMMENT:

            H. Baird asked if we were going to seal the main St.  M. Berentsen said
that we are trying to include in the Main St. project a micro seal.  It
is  3/8 inch sealing- this way everything would look new- from my
understanding it isn't very expensive.

            C. Teich noted that holes at the post office were fixed- he said it cost
$27 one of the employees had them filled. M. Berentsen- yes one of the
employees had her father fill the holes with item four and then the post
office hired Duffy's to blacktop.  The message must have gotten to the
Post Office after the last meeting because they also had the parking lot
striped.

            Question of back taxes on Sandwich shop property?  S. Berentsen- I did
get another address from the tenant.  I mailed out the tax bills and
they have not been returned so I assume they received them.

            A resident reported that they had heard that the Village greeter had
moved- he was placed in a home- she was thankful for both his welfare
and the Village residents.  C. Teich added that he had called the State
Police a couple of times when he saw him disrupting traffic and he new
that Mr. Cassidy had also called.

            Abstract # 6 totaling- $5,791.39

            Abstract #S6 totaling- $666.57    were approved

Motion to adjourn meeting by C. Teich and Seconded by P. Wood  all in favor

Wurtsboro Public Hearing - Kaufman Farms West Development

A public hearing was held on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008, at the Wurtsboro Planning Board meeting in Village Hall. Duane Roe gave an overview presentation for Kaufman Farms West, a 72 unit townhouse project proposed for 85 acres on the west side of Pennsylvania Avenue, just south of Emma Chase Elementary School.

All of the dwellings will be 1,600 square feet, two bedrooms, with an average price of $250,000. Paperwork submitted by the developer compares this project to Milford Landing in Pike County, Penn. Roe brought along his “A” team, consisting of architect, engineer, and designer.

Fewer members of the public turned out than expected. The meeting was held in the Fire Department to make space for more people, yet only a handful attended. Included among them were various public officials, such as Mamakating councilmen Teddy Brebbia and Bob Justus — both residents of Wurtsboro village. Also present were all three village trustees.

Engineer gave a description of the waste water disposal. Each home in the cluster gets its own septic tank, with the effluent flowing into a common treatment facility, then emitted into the soil. All infrastructure including the sewer system will be the responsibility of a homeowners association.

A second project called Kaufman Farms East will be located across the street, with 22 more homes.

Developers project no significant impact to local school districts.

More to follow…