The newly renovated Onteora Middle/High School auditorium
had a formal celebration on January 13, with a packed house
for the concert featuring students of past and present. The
auditorium is wired and spectacular. Talk about giving us all
a first class facility... let's book it, everyone!
A
Town That Just Says No
County
Offer For Shared Services Doesn't Quite Add Up To The Olive
Town Council
2/11/2010
By Cindy Johansen
Town Board meetings often shift gears quickly, and Olive's February
9 meeting was no exception. Shortly after dispensing with routine
roll call and acceptance of minutes, Supervisor Leifeld introduced
Assistant Deputy County Executive, Vincent Martello. Former
Marbletown Supervisor, MMartello came before the board to explain
the reasons why the county would like Olive to become a co-applicant
in the its bid for a state Shared Services Grant in the amount
of $1 Million Dollars. It was unclear exactly what this grant
would be used for - which proved to be the central concern of
Town Board members.
Continue>>>
Covering
Town Planners
Why
It's Important To Get A Sense Of What's Up With
Local Developments
2/11/2010
By Cindy Johansen
For many, a town's planning board represents its true
pulse. It is the institution to which go new-comers,
entrepreneurs, and yes, even some of the old-timers
parting with a piece of land so someone else can enjoy
a piece of our town.
On most planning boards, including ours here in Olive,
it has long been a duty to find replacements when openings
occur among its seven members, all of whom serve (here)
a period of seven years (without pay)... with terms
staggered so that only one seat comes open each year.
Continue>>>
A
Jar Of Olives...
All Thumbs Disease...
2/11/2010
By Carol LaMonda
Look around the next time you are in a group of people.
I was about to say "young people," but the
"All-thumbs" disease has spread from one generation
to another so quickly that it could only be called a
pandemic. Olive just held a free N1H1 flu clinic, but
unlike the contagious flu that can be prevented by vaccination,
the "All-thumbs" epidemic involves technology.
The symptoms of this disease are: stiff neck from looking
down at your lap, twitching thumbs from texting, calloused
index finger from scrolling, and crossed eyes from focusing
at small print. Some long-term side effects are charger
coil loss, dead batteries, and uncontrollable, annoying
sounds.
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The
Kaaterskill Fine Arts Gallery in
Hunter opens its first exhibition dedicated
solely to abstract art on Saturday, February
13th, featuring four award-winning artists:
Nancy Rutter (above), Larry McKim, Ilona
Sochynsky and Emily Thing. An opening Reception
takes place Feb. 13 from 4 to 6 pm. Try
www.catskillmtn.org.
SEQR's
Under Review
Regional
Analysis Of Review Laws Finds Comp Planning
Is Key To Any Success
2/11/2010
By By Paul Smart
After
months of meetings, a regional group
brought together under the leadership
of the directors of the environmental
organization Scenic Hudson, Mid-Hudson
Patterns for Progress, and the local
office of the state Department of Environmental
Conservatioin has issued its draft recommendations
for "potential improvement to the
implementation of the State Environmental
Quality Review Act (known as SEQR)"
in the Hudson Valley and Catskills (Department
of Environmental Conservation Region
3).
Continue>>>
Riding
In The Cheap Seats
Ulster County Area Transport Upgrades,
But Kinda Forgets To Let Everyone Know
2/11/2010
By Paul Smart
Ulster County Area Transit,
better known as UCAT, recently
underwent a massive overhaul,
with changes in the bus routes
and a fare increase that came
into effect on February 1.
Faced with an impending budget
cut, UCAT officials decided
that too many people depend
on the bus system to sacrifice
any services, so they chose
instead to increase the base
fare by 25 cents. (Despite
the fare increase, UCAT remains
one of the cheapest transportation
options, defeating both driving
and the competing service,
Adirondack Trailways, by wide
margins.)
Continue>>>
Selling
Off The Assets
Onteora Board Starts To Mull
All Budget Balancing Options,
Building Sale Included
2/11/2010
By Lisa Childers
Operating costs for West Hurley
Elementary average the Onteora
district $44,000 a year, keeping
the closed campus partially
open.
As of its February 2 meeting,
the school board is mulling
the cutting of this cost as
a possible means towards balancing
the district's budget for
the 2010/2011school year,
when it faces a $1.5 million
to $2 million shortfall due
to the shrinking state budget.
Looking for ways to make cuts
without directly effecting
classroom instruction, the
sale or lease of the building
and its surrounding property
is also being considered.
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