3/252010

Minor Flooding
A forecasted one to two inches of rainfall that led to the county issuring flood warnings for Cold Brook in Olive and lower reaches of the Esopus Creek ended up turning into two and a half to three and a quarter inches in a large portion of western Ulster County the evening of March 22. As a result, a forecasted 9.3 foot elevation for the Esopus at Cold Brook turned out to be 14.45 feet at 4:00 AM. There were limited evacuations, according to county Emergency chief Art Snyder, with sheltering provided at the Phoenicia firehouse and Belleayre Ski Center.
According to Shandaken supervisor Rob Stanley, people were asked to leave homes along High Street and Station Road in Phoenicia, but none of the cots ended up being used.
The Esopus' rise was three feet above flood level, but below what it had been when flooding also occurred in January, according to Stanley.
A major conference on climate change effects in the region held at Belleayre Mountain last autumn predicted that the severity of local storms, from snow to rains, would be increasing in coming years, leading to a needed change in the ways in which local waterways are treated, as well as bridges and roads.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Ashokan Reservoir was spilling at a rate of just under 5,000 MGD and expected to increase, meaning that "moderate" flooding was forecast for the Ashokan. The NYC DEP's recently re-opened Waste Channel operations were discontinued the previous night to alleviate any possible problems downstream.
Anyone seeking assistance was asked to call 338-1440.
In related news, New York City officials recently said that a $5.2 million plan to upgrade computer management of reservoir water levels will serve as an effective flood-management tool in the future and that the new system would, among other things, help determine what water levels are needed in the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County to prevent flood damage to downstream properties.
Paul Rush, deputy commissioner of the city's Department of Environmental Protection, said the intent is to monitor all 19 DEP-managed reservoirs, and noted that the upgraded computer management of water levels will help the DEP "gain a better understanding of how much water is expected to enter the reservoir both near term in the next couple of days and next couple of weeks ... (and) also on a seasonal basis so we can better understand what are essential operating levels."
"We want to capture enough water to have the needs of the city met for a prolonged drought but also have room to capture storms that could impact our quality as well as downstream in terms of flooding," he added.
Rush added that the goal of city officials has been to have reservoirs at 100 percent capacity on June 1 in anticipation of droughts but that they lacked effective measuring tools to honor a request from state Sen. John Bonacic to keep water levels as low as 75 percent. Rush noted that specific levels can will be easier to determine as the new computer system moves toward full implementation in 2013.
"Right now, there are some models and some forecasts done by the National Weather Service, but this is going to enhance and really help give us better information so we can make better decisions about the water supply," he said.
Still Skiing...
Despite a week of warm and sunny weather followed by two days of warm, monsoon like weather, area ski centers still have so much snow they remain open for business through March, and possibly into mid-April.
On Tuesday morning, March 23, Belleayre Ski Center Superintendent Tony Lanza said he was pleased when handed the day's conditions report.
"We have 44 trails open with between 45 and 80 inches of snow on them," he said, adding that the forecast called for snow later that night in higher elevations, and the one inch of rain that dumped on the slopes that morning had been, :just absorbed by the snow like a sponge."
This seems to mean, according to Lanza, that the weather will have no effect on how long Belleayre stays open this season.
Lanza generally shoots for keeping the lifts running until the third week of April. At this point it is too soon to tell if Belleayre will reach that mark or not.
"I know we are going to be open through Easter Sunday," he said. Beyond that, the number of skier visits will be reviewed daily to determine how long they stay open.
"Belleayre usually runs out skiers before it runs out of snow," he said, placing some fault for that on the broadcast media in New York State.
Lanza notes that out west spring skiing is cherished and the media keeps skiers up to date on the conditions. But in New York, he said, media interest in skiing melts away long before the snow does. For example, when Belleayre got 60 inches of new snow within a couple of days two weeks ago, the event went uncovered.
"We made the calls, but I don't think they believed us," he said.
At Plattekill in Roxbury, owner/operator Lazlo Vajtay said his mountain still has a base depth of 10 to 40 inches.
"Stay tuned for the upcoming weekend's official trail report," he said. " Looks like some warm weather early in the week then snow showers and colder temps later in the week. Great spring conditions continue this weekend! We'll be skiing/riding Saturday 8:45am to 4:15pm."
At Hunter Mountain in Greene County, reports indicate they have plenty of snow left, and plan to remain open until April 11th. Nearby Windham Mountain's Pat del Rosario reported that, "After a wet evening the front is moving out of town and we will return to sunny skies, cold nights and warm daytime temperatures beginning Thursday through the weekend..."
Burning Ban
New statewide laws on outdoor burning in communities with fewer than 20,000 people, which include a ban on all burning from now until May 15, has gone into effect as of March 15. State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alexander "Pete" Grannis has noted that the restriction is meant to coincide with the region's dry season, when most wildfires occur.
"Open burning poses a significant fire risk," Grannis said in a press release. "By banning open burning during the high fire risk period, we are taking steps to protect the health and safety of our children, our families and our natural environment."
"From 2000 to 2007, New York's fire departments responded to an average of 2,600 wildfires each year during the period of March 15 through May 15," the agency added. "Several factors enable wildfires to start easily and spread quickly at this time, including the lack of green vegetation, abundance of available fuels, such as dry grass and leaves, warm temperatures and wind."
State officials said the restrictions are also intended to reduce harmful air pollutants from illegal burning, which were the main reasons behind the recent regulatory changes on a statewide basis.
The "emissions of dioxins ... from backyard burning alone were greater than all other sources combined for the years 2002-04," the agency said, also noting how burning trash "emits, arsenic, carbon monoxide, benzene, styrene, formaldehyde, lead, hydrogen cyanide and other harmful chemicals."
Brush burning after May 15 still needs special permits, it should be noted.
Shared Services?
Last month, the Town of Olive seemed alone when it said "Thanks, but no thanks" to a representative from the Ulster County Executive's office regarding the new plan to cut county costs by sharing rural road care responsibilities, and expenses, with towns. Everyone else, Hein's office said, was signing on to the idea of discussing the matter, and any cost discrepancies raised by Olive's town board and highway superintendent could be worked out.
Now, other towns seem to be stepping back from the deal, if not the entire plate for the moment, including Shandaken.
This past week, Supervisor Rob Stanley said that he and Shandaken Highway Superintendent Eric Hofmeister met with Hein's office last week and raised their worries about costs plowing and maintaining local roads, versus what was being offered as a per mile reimbursement rate. Part of their problem, Stanley added, involved union deals which required them to have two employees in vehicles instead of just one.
Hein, meanwhile, has reiterated that figures are negotiable... and then announced his intent to join with Duchess, Orange and Putnam counties in applying for a $200,000 grant to help facilitate shared services with those counties. The funds, if awarded, would come from a state Department of State local government efficiency grant. The grant would be used for the purchase and implementation of competitive bidding software.
The grant requires a 10 percent local match ($4,000) and Hein said he will seek authorization for the matching funds from the county Legislature, at their next regular meeting.
There is also a growing movement, within state circles - led by State Senator John Bonacic - to allow sharing of services between county jails, which could raise revenue levels for Ulster County, with its new law enforcement center.
Talk about the perambulations of any major change...
Economics 101
The Economic Summit held at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center on March 9 got out the message that local governments want to help the little guy fight to survive the current recession.
And while officials from both Ulster and Delaware County were on hand with similar messages, it was noted that Ulster is outspending Delaware when it comes to tourism promotion, something that at least one official would like to see change.
The event, sponsored by the Belleayre Region Lodging and Tourism Association and designed to enhance job retention and growth by assisting tourism related businesses in the western Ulster County/ Catskill Mountain region, featured panelists who were on hand to help hospitality-related businesses learn about the various resources and services available to them on a local, state and federal level, including: financing, marketing, business planning, grant funding and energy efficiency upgrades.
"Tourism is a $471 million dollar industry in Ulster County and provides over 8,000 jobs," Ulster County Executive Mike Hein said in a prepared statement. "Businesses in western Ulster County play a critical role in the vitality of that industry and I will do everything I possibly can to support them and to facilitate access to the resources that the County and other organizations can offer to ensure their ongoing success."
Last year, Hein played an instrumental role in bringing together a coalition of public and private ski resorts, along with multiple county governments, to promote a "Ski the Catskills" spring skiing marketing initiative.
The program was so successful, he said, that it led to continued ski resort joint marketing efforts with a 2010 regional discount card program.
In December of 2009, Hein also successfully advocated for an additional $8.3 million in federal stimulus funds to repave 23 miles of Route 28 roadway and shoulders, from Route 375, in West Hurley to the Delaware County line.
"The vastly improved Route 28 transportation corridor will provide tourists and residents alike with a much safer and much more pleasant driving experience," Hein added.
Bob Linge, Executive Director of the Belleayre Regional Lodging and Tourism Association, was pleased with the session, which had about two dozen in attendance.
But, he added, "This is not just an Ulster County event but a Delaware County event as well."
Peg Ellsworth, the Executive Director of The MARK Project, a non profit rural development agency serving Delaware County, was one of several panelists at the event. While pleased with the economic development work being done regionally by many on the local, County and State level, she had a few choice words for the leadership of Delaware County.
After hearing from Hein and several other Ulster County officials at the session, Ellsworth noted that she was "disappointed" with what Delaware County spends on tourism promotion.
"Ulster County's tourism budget increase this year is double Delaware County's entire tourism budget," she said, adding that she hoped Delaware County leaders were listening.
Participants from Ulster County include Rick Remsnyder, Ulster County Director of Tourism; March Gallagher, Ulster County Deputy Director of Economic Development; Steve Hack for the Ulster County Banking Consortium, Paul Rakov of Ulster County Development Corporation, Myriam Bouchard of the Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center, Michael Triolo, Economic Development Director for the Catskill Watershed Corporation, and Glenn Nealis, Director of the Delaware County Economic Development.
Also on hand were representatives from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Rural Development office, as well as Shandaken supervisor Rob Stanley, the only municipal rep in sight.
Lodge Closed
Actors & Writers, the local theater troupe known for its truly memorable play readings and one-act festivals -- as well as its pooling of key literary talent from throughout the region -- has just announced that it will be moving from its home of 20 years at the Odd Fellows Shokan Lodge in Olivebridge, which has closed its doors and is no longer available for local performances or other activities.
"But don't panic. The newly formed Rosendale Theatre Collective has invited Actors & Writers to become a resident company, along with the Vanaver Caravan and other local arts organizations," reads a recent press release from the company. "We have also been invited to perform in Woodstock's Byrdcliffe Theatre during the summer months, and will continue to do occasional performances at New Paltz's Unison Arts and other area venues."
Turns out the company's next season will kick off with two events at the Rosendale Theatre: a reprise of Mary Louise Wilson's SRO hit Remembrance of Shorts Past, and the latest incarnation of Denny Dillon's comedy without a net, Improv Nation, in the coming months.
The past year saw remaining members of the local lodge of the venerable fraternal organization appealing to the local community and byond for financial help to keep the building usable. Local artist Kate McGloughlin, a neighbor of the hall whose great grandfather helped build it, donated art work for benefit sales.
But not enough interest was spurred beyond a constant refrain that people hated to see what was happening happen.
"It's now in the hands of the New York State Grand Lodge," said former lodge leader Gilles Malkine of Olivebridge, referring to the entity based in Highland, across from Poughkeepsie. "Life has changed so much since this great space was built. I was there for six years... people say they'll do things, but then they don't."
"We will all miss our artistic home at 'The Odds,' but there are definite advantages to performing in a venue with more seating capacity, better sight lines, and an adjacent parking lot (no more flashlights and falling in ditches!)," the Acvtors & Writers' release about their move continued. " And the heart of our company isn't the space, but our talented members and generous audience. Since 1991, we've provided our community with more than 100 free staged readings performed by professional actors. We look forward to bringing the A&W magic to Rosendale and beyond. Hope to see you there!"
For more on the troupe, please visit www.actorsandwriters.com.
For more on Grand Lodge plans for the old Shkoan Lodge of the Oddfellows in Olivebridge, check these pages regularly...
Annual Meeting
The Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) will hold its 13th Annual Meeting of member towns on Tuesday, April 6 at 2 p.m. at CWC offices, 905 Main Street, Margaretville. Results of the election of three representatives from Delaware County to the CWC Board of Directors will be announced. A slide show of CWC achievements over the past year will be shown, and the floor will then be open for questions and comments from representatives of member towns and villages, and the general public.
The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors will be held immediately following the Annual Meeting. The public is invited to attend both meetings.
CWC programs and projects are explained in detail on the corporation's web site: www.cwconline.org.
The Catskill Watershed Corporation recently voted to assist a Lexington business in replacing a septic system and will provide a low-interest loan to allow a Phoenicia health clinic to relocate. The septic system is at Lighthouse on the Hill, a motel in the Greene County Town of Lexington. Meanwhile, a $255,000 will go to Maverick Health Clinic to aid in relocating its facility from space it rented from the Town of Shandaken in Phoenicia to the former INDIE building it is purchasing at 4080 Route 28 in Boiceville. The health clinic, which employs six people, has outgrown its current space but cannot expand there due to septic limitations.
County News...
A comprehensive review of the Golden Hill Health Care Center, the county-run nursing home, and plans to shrink the size of the county Legislature beyond what's been planned were key elements raised in new Ulster County Legislature Chairman Fred Wadnola's "Chairman's Message" to the Legislature delivered earlier in March. They were part of what he termed an "aggressive" 10-point plan for lawmakers that he said can only be achieved through "the casting aside of political animosities."
Several times, though, Wadnola reminded everyone of last November's Republican re-taking of the county body after several years of Democratic rule.
Among the things he called for were a November ballot proposition to reduce the size of the Legislature in 2011 to 21 members. The Legislature already is scheduled to downsize from 33 members to 23 in 2011. He also called for studies of possibly reusing the former county jail and having video arraignments at the new jail, and asked the Legislature's Economic Development and Tourism Committee to develop a program called "Ulster Online" to bring broadband services to all areas of Ulster County; to find and develop shovel-ready sites for development; to help facilitate new development in Saugerties and Ellenville; and to review and assist in the development of the proposed Belleaye Resort at Catskill Park.
Wadnola also said, somewhat cryptically, the Legislature will be faced with the "monumental task" of conducting the required review of the county charter. He said that while the Legislature will work with the county executive to achieve "our common goals to serve the residents of our county," cooperation must be a two-way street.
"It will be more likely to take place, however, if the two branches of government operate in the spirit of the charter - as equals, rather than adversaries," he said.
Onteora Lawsuit?
According to Onteora School Board President Laurie Osmond, false information has somehow leaked out regarding a harassment complaint raised in recent public sessions. That info, which was later corroborated, notes that the lawsuit against the district apparently comes from current Superintendent Leslie Ford.
Things first arise at a March 2 Board of Ed meeting, when a resolution was passed that would allow a maximum of $7,500 to investigate a harassment charge. Due to confidentiality laws regarding litigation, the resolution did not name the employee and stated only that a particular employee, "filed a harassment complaint with the Board of Education on or about July 7, 2009."
That was the date the district's new board took office, and a week after former Onteora trustees Michelle Friedel and Rick Wolff resigned their positions without explaining why.
At the March 2 meeting, Olive Town Board Member Peter Friedel, husband of the former school board trustee, complained about the use of money freed up to investigate Superintendent Leslie Ford. Osmond then prohibited Friedel from speaking about employees.
At the district's March 16 board meeting, Olivebridge resident Jim Dinsmore responded to Friedel's earlier complaint, asking, "Unless some really egregious action was committed, why does the board find it necessary to spend tax payers dollars on investigating the superintendent?"
Osmond interrupted Dinsmore, noting "I have to stop you and, given what you said, have to say your facts are incorrect."
In a separate interview, Osmond later said that she had no idea how Friedel got the information and why he chose to mention Ford. She added that she would not comment on who the employee mentioned in the resolution was, and that leaked employee information, true or false, would not be tolerated.
Ford, who has been reported to have been applying for work with other school district's - and was included in the recent job hunt for a new superintendent at nearby Rondout School District, also would not comment.
Teen Licenses?
The state has placed tougher restrictions on driver licenses issued to 16- and 17-year-olds, including a prohibition against junior license holders having more than one non-immediate family passenger under 21 in the vehicle, a stipulation that all 16-year-olds and some 17-year-olds must hold their learner's permit for six months and have 50 hours of supervised driving, including 15 hours after sunset, before they can take their road test.
As a result of that six-month permit requirement, the new law eliminates the "limited use" junior license that was issued to 16- and 17-year-old drivers who took their road test within six months of getting their permit. Under the limited-use junior license, holders were permitted for the first three months to drive only to and from school.
Still in effect is a prohibition forbidding junior license holders from driving between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., except to and from work or school, or with a parent or guardian in the vehicle.
The age a person can get a learner's permit varies from state to state. In 13 states - including Alaska, Texas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Georgia - permits can be issued to persons as young as 14. Another 21 states - including Alabama, Florida, Maine, Vermont and California - issue learner's permits to persons as young as 15.
Recovery Funds!
T he Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (UCIDA) noted this week that it has been approved by the Ulster County Legislature to issue more than $8 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds, a program allocated by New York State to all counties willing to participate.
The Recovery Zone Facility Bond (RZFB) program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and provides tax-exempt financing to eligible commercial development projects. Recovery Zones are those areas designated by the county as 1) having significant poverty, unemployment, rate of home foreclosures or general distress; (2) economically distressed by reason of the closure or realignment of a military installation pursuant to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990; or (3) already designated as an empowerment zone or renewal community as of February 17, 2009, which is the effective date of the ARRA. The incentive for this program is that the interest on the bonds is excluded from federal gross income.
The Ulster Legislature approved the resolution on March 2 during its regular session. In general, the RZFB bonds will be issued by the UCIDA and proceeds loaned, or project leased or sold, to a private, for-profit company as the borrower. Eligible projects have until December 31, 2010 to close and place the bonds. The program primarily targets new construction but it otherwise very flexible.
The program cap is $8,833,000 which can be divided as many times as necessary. There is no limit on how much a company can apply for except for the total program cap or however much funding is remaining at the time of closing.
Interested businesses should call the UCIDA (845) 338-8840. The regular UCIDA bond application can be used and it available for downloading at www.ulstercountyida.com.
In similar news, the Ulster County Development Corporation is offering an informational session, "Shovel ready: A Critical Element To Growth," for Town Planners and Supervisors, Commercial Real Estate Developers and the General Public regarding the importance of "shovel ready" properties for prospective businesses looking to located in Ulster County. The event takes place from 7:00 to 9:00 PM on Thursday, April 1 at the Student Lounge Conference Room at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge.
Homeless...
As federal and state officials announced budget proposals and plans designed to end the nation's economic crisis, housing counselors in Ulster County have raised alarms about the way in which that crisis is unfolding locally.
According to Kevin O'Connor, Executive Director of Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO) more and more middle and upper middle class households are facing potential homelessness. He noted that while his agency and several others in the region are collaborating on efforts to help prevent foreclosures and to re-house those in need, officials are concerned that the level of assistance available might not be adequate for the needs.
O'Connor said that homeless numbers in Ulster County are rising. Figures from December show 217 individuals and 114 families as sheltered homeless, with 65 of those individuals and 54 of those families listed as newly homeless for the first time in December. Unsheltered homeless, harder to account for because they might not be seeking were pegged at 122 individuals and 7 families in December.
Two major collaborative efforts serving Ulster County provide assistance to those who need it and, at the same time, keep their fingers on the pulse of what is happening. Hudson Valley Foreclosure Prevention Services is a collaborative effort involving RUPCO, Hudson River Housing and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley.
"Our foreclosure prevention counselors are telling us that recent callers are in higher income brackets and more expensive homes than those in the first wave of counseling," said O'Connor.
Job loss and loss of income is the chief driving factor.
"People who were once bringing in $6,000 a month are now bringing in $1,500 a month or less. You can't keep a home valued at $300,000 when that happens," O'Connor added.
RUPCO and Family of Woodstock have a second collaborative effort, running the Homeless Prevention/Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) to assist those at imminent risk of becoming homeless or already homeless.
As in most crisis situations, human service agencies urge individuals and families in financial trouble to seek assistance as soon as they see trouble coming.
"If we can intervene early in the foreclosure process, for example, there are more options available," said O'Connor. "If people wait until the day their house is going to be taken, there's a lot less we can do to help."
O'Connor, whose agency has served Ulster County for three decades, and has taken over much of the work once handled by more local agencies such as our region's SHARP Committee, added that seeking help early also helps government agencies and non-profit organizations anticipate what county-wide needs might be coming up in future months and allows them to apply for more assistance from state and federal programs.
Working together, RUPCO and Family will deliver not only financial assistance, but counseling and case management work that helps each individual or family get back on their feet. Universal pre-applications are available throughout the county at all walk-in centers operated by Family including Kingston, Woodstock, Ellenville and New Paltz.
Individuals who believe they are eligible should pick up a pre-application at one of the Family walk-in centers as follows: 221 Canal St., Ellenville (647-2460), 39 John St., Kingston (331-7080, 51 North Chestnut Road, New Paltz (255-8801), or 16 Rock City Road, Woodstock (679-2485). Additional information is available by checking a www.rupco.org or www.familyofwoodstock.org.
Youth Jobs!
The Youth Council of the Ulster County Workforce Investment Board is sponsoring a Youth Job Fair on March 31, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm for Kingston area youth ages 16 to 21 at the Business Resource Center on Ulster Avenue in Kingston. The businesses that will be participating are based within the general Kingston area, have current openings, and will interview youth on the spot.
In order for young people to be admitted to the Youth Job Fair they must have completed an approved "Work Readiness Training" and be sponsored by one of the collaborating agencies. Youth must also be "interview ready" and adhere to the following dress code: present a clean and neat appearance. In addition they must obey the following dress code restrictions: no t-shirts, no tank tops, to hats, and no mini-skirts. The Work Readiness Trainings are being offered now at local Boys and Girls Clubs.
Additional information is available by calling the Office of Employment and Training at 340-3173, Family of Woodstock at 331-7080 or the Boys & Girls Club at 338-8666.

National Park...
A bill that calls for studying the possible inclusion of the Hudson River Valley in the National Park Service system has been approved by the House Committee on Natural Resources and forwarded for Senate perusal by U.S. Senator Kirstin Gillibrand.
In a prepared statement, sponsoring Congressman Maurice Hinchey described the committee's vote as "one significant step closer toward securing final passage of this very significant piece of legislation that would help pave the way for the Hudson River Valley to receive its proper national recognition."
Jeff Lieberson, Hinchey's chief of staff, said the committee - comprising of 29 Democrats and 20 Republicans - conducted a voice vote, and there was no opposition to the study, which Lieberson said "makes us feel really good" about the bill's chances before the full House. He added that he expects the House to consider the bill in a month or two.
Hinchey, who announced in November that he had introduced the Hudson River Valley Special Resource Study Act, has said the study could be a first step toward giving an area that extends from Washington County to Westchester County access to federal money for conservation, historic preservation, promoting tourism and other elements of economic development.
The study, if approved, could take as long as 24 months to complete, and it would involve cataloging the region's resources and outreach to local communities, Hinchey has said. He has also pointed out that the bill emphasizes that the National Park Service must respect the rights of individual land owners and that there would be no forced land acquisition.
Carol LaGrasse, the president of the Property Rights Foundation of America who fought the naming of the Catskills as a United Nation's World Biosphere region 14 years ago, testified before the Committee on Natural Resources that she believes making the region a unit of the National Park Service could hurt the area if state or nonprofit-owned land was taken off of local government's tax rolls or if large swaths of publicly owned land limited the region's development.
Lieberson responded that "those types of fears are completely misplaced" and noted that the proposal is only a study at this point.
In the state Assembly, where he served from 1975 to 1992, Hinchey authored legislation that led to the creation of the Hudson River Valley Greenway, which created a process for voluntary regional cooperation among 264 communities and 13 counties that border the river... now also including Shandaken and Olive.

More Boating
Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway recently announced that five additional square miles of Cannonsville Reservoir will be open for recreational boating at the start of this year's boating season on May 28. This announcement builds upon last year's decision to launch a three-year pilot program to expand recreational boating opportunities at Cannonsville Reservoir. For the first year of the pilot program, 407 tags were issued for kayaks, canoes, rowboats and small sailboats. Previously, only fishing boats with proper permits were allowed on the reservoir. The recreational space will expand westward from the Cannonsville Bridge to 500 feet from the Cannonsville Dam.
"Being a good neighbor is crucial to our partnerships in the watershed," said Commissioner Holloway. "Opening up the remaining third of the Cannonsville Reservoir for families and visitors ensures that as many people as possible can take advantage of this great resource and has the added benefit of encouraging tourism and economic activity in the region."
"This program is evolving into a fantastic summertime activity," said James Eisel, Chairman of the Delaware County Board of Supervisors. "We have found no negative impacts on the Cannonsville Reservoir from the pilot recreational boating program. Therefore, it only makes sense to expand the program to within 500 feet of the dam, giving a more open expanse of surface water for sailboating, among the variety of recreational uses of the reservoir."
All eyes are now on gradual movement of the new program eastward to the DEP system's other reservoirs, including the Ashokan eventually.
Gas Drilling...
The Catskill Landowners Association, a group of landowners dedicated to the protection of landowners' rights, announced earlier this month that it is opposed to any suggested regulation imposing a broad scale general ban on natural gas drilling on private property within the Catskills region, unless landowners receive just compensation for the loss of this property right.
"The Catskill Landowners Association views natural gas exploration and development as a right vested in land ownership, not something that can be legislated away on a whim," Catskill Landowners Association President Robert Bishop said. "We do support appropriate regulation of this activity in order to protect our water systems and the scenic beauty of the Catskill region as long as landowners are justly compensated."
As stated in the Position Paper, The Catskill Landowners Association views natural gas exploration and development as a right vested in land ownership. They noted support for the "new regulatory framework as proposed in the Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement," saying it "provides New York State with greater ability to protect our natural resources during the implementation of the new drilling processes required to extract our deep deposits of natural gas."
The Catskill Landowners Association added that it remains concerned that New York State has insufficient financial resources to adequately supervise extensive gas drilling and to ensure that the environment is protected. They suggested that a fee structure for permitting gas exploration should be developed to ensure that the costs of adequate regulatory oversight are funded by the companies seeking permits. Those funds generated from drilling permit fees would be restricted to the uses required for regulatory oversight of natural gas exploration and extraction.
But they also reiterated their stance opposing any suggested regulation that would impose a general ban on natural gas drilling on private property within the Catskills region unless landowners receive just compensation for the loss of such property right.
Stay tuned...
Grounded?
Westchester developer Louis Capelli is being sued by his principal equity partner which claims his Concord Resorts,LLC is in default on a $133 million loan for their stalled casino, hotel, and racetrack complex on 1,500 acres at Sullivan County's Kiamesha Lake. Capelli characterizes the suit as "just a tactic - a meek shot across the bow" on the part of Kansas City-based Entertainment Properties Trust, which reported $28 million in write-offs last year for bad loans to Capelli's company.
In an unrelated development, 24 contractors on the project have reportedly filed liens totaling about $24 million for unpaid bills for demolition and preliminary site-prep work. The project, recently downscaled from $585 to $275 million in projected construction costs, has been at a standstill since late 2008.
Capelli is hoping to get it back on track with a pending partnership deal with PA based casino and racetrack operator Penn National Gaming, Inc.
DEC Closure
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that seven campgrounds and two day-use areas in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks will not open in 2010. The actions are necessary in order to achieve the agency's 2010-11 savings target and to help address the state's historic fiscal crisis, they say, adding that the facilities were selected based upon usage rates over previous years and proximity to other camping facilities. DEC will continue to maintain 45 other campgrounds with approximately 5,900 campsites and five day-use areas in New York's Adirondack and Catskill Parks. Locally, Devil's Tombstone, in Lanesville will not open, along with Bear Spring Mountain in Delaware County.
Census Now!
It's currently Census Time. Despite some continuing reluctance on some parts to be counted, or answer questions needed for demographic studies, and all they bring to areas seeking grants, or just some sort of marketing acumen, it seems most people, and politicalk persuasions, are currently all for getting counted.
The stakes are high. The government uses census data to apportion seats in Congress and dole out about $400 billion annually in federal funds. It's also used in federal tuition grant and loan programs, so a thorough count of college students in 2010 can mean more money for higher education in the state down the road. Furthermore, it's used for state matters, as well as in numerous planning process studies.
The efforts are particularly intense in states on the edge of gaining or losing a U.S. House seat depending on how well they do in the census. Election Data Services, a Virginia firm that crunches census numbers, lists Minnesota, Texas, Missouri and California among those states.
It's also key to towns with college students, who are supposed to be counted where they go to school, effecting how such municipalities, and their host counties, receive funding.Under Census Bureau rules, students should be counted where they live and sleep most of the year - which means where they go to school, including foreign students.
So answer those forms... as well as that knock at the door. It's part of modern life, and democracy.

Adoption Study...
A major study on identity formation for adopted persons is the centerpiece of a new report entitled "Beyond Culture Camp: Promoting Positive Identity Formation in Adoption" That is being called "the broadest, most extensive examination of adult adoptive identity to date," based on input from the primary experts on the subject: adults who were adopted as children. Central findings include revelations that:
Adoption becomes an increasingly significant aspect of identity for most adopted people - and race/ethnicity grows in importance for adoptees of color throughout childhood and into adulthood. These findings raise questions about some current attitudes, practices and policies predicated on the notion that these factors diminish in importance after adolescence.
Adoption-related teasing and bias are a reality for many adoptees, but more so for whites - who experienced the most negative behavior and comments from extended family and childhood friends. Race trumped adoption for adopted persons of color; i.e., a large majority experienced race-based discrimination rather than (or in addition to) adoption-related negativity.
A significant majority of transracially adopted adults reported considering themselves to be or wanting to be white as children - a stark message to parents and professionals, though most eventually grew to identify themselves as members of their racial/ethnic group. Even as adults, a minority have not reconciled their racial identity.
The most effective strategies for achieving positive identity formation are "lived experiences" - in particular, travel to a native country and attending racially diverse schools for the transracial adoptees, and contact with birth relatives for whites adopted domestically.
A majority of adopted adults in both categories said they had searched for their roots in some way
Vaccinate!
The Ulster County SPCA will sponsor a low cost vaccination clinic for dogs and cats on Saturday, April 3 from 10AM to 2PM at their shelter, located at 20 Wiedy Rd. (off Sawkill Rd.) in Kingston, NY. A previous rabies certificate must be presented in order to receive a three year vaccination. One year shots will be offered without prior proof of rabies vaccination. Appointments are not necessary. Master Card, Visa and cash are accepted - no personal checks please. For more information about this event, call (845) 331-5377 X210.
Reunion?
The Onteora High School Class of '77 is planning a 33 year reunion! The reunion will be held Memorial Day weekend, 2010. Friday evening festivities will be at the Boiceville Inn and Saturday there will be a gathering at Davis Park in West Shokan. In order to be included in updates and details of the plans, please go to www.classcreator.com/Boiceville-NY-Onteora-1977. Direct yourself to the classmates profile link to register, OR send an email with your mailing address and phone number to: seaduckin@aol.com Please don't delay as final numbers of attendees are needed by April 15th.