4/8/2010

Dear Supervisor Stanley,
As you may know, the Upper Esopus Creek flows directly into the Ashokan Reservoir, which is a terminal reservoir within the Catskill watershed portion of the New York City drinking water supply. Water from the Ashokan Reservoir then flows down the Catskill Aqueduct directly into the Kensico Reservoir where it then enters New York City's water distribution system. The Ashokan Reservoir and the Catskill Watershed provides 40 percent of the drinking water supply for eight million residents of New York City and one million upstate consumers located in Ulster, Orange, Putnam and Westchester Counties. .
As part of our commitment and obligations to maintain and protect the quality and purity of the New York City drinking water supply, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (Department) Stream Biomonitoring Unit (SBU) sampled the Upper Esopus Creek from Olivera to Boiceville within Ulster County, New York during 2007, 2008, and 2009. Sampling was conducted as routine monitoring of long-term sites to documents changes to water quality. Sampling is expected to conclude in 2010 at which time the Department will issue its final report. The initial results, which are published in the enclosed draft report, indicate that water quality is adversely impacted below the Hamlet of Phoenicia and that these water quality impacts may be a result of runoff from the un-sewered hamlet. The Department will continue to monitor water quality along this portion of the Upper Esopus Creek and plans to undertake an initiative to identify and track down potential source(s) of pollution that may be contributing to water quality degradation of this natural resource within the area of the Hamlets of Phoenicia and Chichester.
Our Department has recently become aware of a number of septage issues within the Hamlet of Phoenicia at both residential and commercial facilities. Actions are necessary to address this situation. Recognizing that the problems are throughout the area, a community wide approach appears to represent the best solution. Although individual property owners may be the source of the problem, individual corrective actions may not represent the best solution from either a practical or economic point of view. Many of the individual properties have limited ability due to the size of the property, elevated groundwater, etc., for the installation of an appropriate system and. therefore, the system which is installed may be limited in effectiveness, expensive, and have a short life span.
The Department understands that the Hamlet of Phoenicia was an eligible community identified in Paragraph 122 - New Sewage Treatment Infrastructure Facilities for Towns, Villages and Hamlets of the 1997 New York City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). In turn, the City of New York provided the Hamlet of Phoenicia approximately $17.2 million to construct a wastewater treatment plant that would provide state-of-the-art water quality treatment, while sufficiently and cost-effectively correct any existing or future residential/commercial septage issues within the hamlet which would allow the Hamlet of Phoenicia to further grow and prosper. It is the department's understanding that the Town of Shandaken is currently contemplating whether to move forward with the proposed community wastewater treatment and disposal system. Our Department believes that the long term solution to the sewage disposal options is the installation of a public sewer system. Furthermore, It is the Department's understanding that if this MOA funding is not utilized then the entire financial burden of constructing such a facility would be the responsibility of the residents and commercial businesses within the Hamlet.
Kenneth Kosinski, P.E. Section Chief
New York City Watershed Section
New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation
Albany, NY
Dear Editor,
It's school budget time again. As the costs emerge school districts blame unfunded or underfunded Albany and Washington mandates, contractual obligations, a guess on state aid, etc. End result? A higher property tax year after year for the same academic result. Here's the answer to all the arm waving and political posturing in Albany. Just four steps and some backbone by our legislatures puts an end to the above. 1. The State Education Department decrees what constitutes a basic education in New York State, grades kindergarten to 12. 2. The state pays 100 percent of that cost in each district. That includes the statewide contracts Albany agrees to, along with how you structure admin-istrative staffing and capital expense. 3. Individual districts decide if "basic" is adequate or if other cours-es are required in their community. 4. We at the district level vote on the add-ons.
This is an election year and don't just read this and say "great idea" (it wasn't mine, by the way). Call or write your assemblyman or senator and tell them you want this to hap-pen now and not sometime in your lifetime. It wouldn't hurt if you reminded them they serve at our pleasure and can be replaced in November.
Ronald Dietl
Kingston, NY
Dear Editor,
As I sat at the last Board of Education meeting I felt like I was on the Titanic and we are slowly sinking. The speakers spoke of no plan for this district, except the Strategic Plan, which is going to be difficult to follow, because we have no plan for grade configuration or buildings. This board has become obsessed with saving teachers jobs for the sake of High School programs and sports. I listened three years ago as a new superintendent was asked to look at the over-staffed music department. These same people spoke again the other night and still say the same thing - that they cannot teach basic strings. This is showing me how inflexible our teachers have become. I know in the private sector people learn new tasks to keep there jobs. As the first speaker said, you would not expect a diesel mechanic to work on a hybrid - how wrong she is, they need to learn to work on hybrids to keep their jobs. My kids took 3rd and 4th grade strings and did a lot of plunking of the strings, pretty basic stuff. So now we are at the point of losing programs for sake of saving buildings, inflexible teachers to help the plunking 3rd graders. The plan was thrown out two years ago. So now we lose golf (two boys in college on golf scholarships), ski team (champs forever), indoor track (14 awards), DECA club (three state champs) and list goes on and on. But yes we have saved a teacher's job, saved our buildings, learned to weigh garbage, grow gardens, all because of personal agendas.
I guess it is just me. As our kids get close to college age they are losing more and more, it just makes no sense to me. So why support a budget with no plan and lost programs for kids already?
Rick Wolff
Shokan, NY
Dear Editor,
I know there has been a lot of talk and debate lately about our local schools and the budget and how we can get 2+2 to equal 10!!! Well, I wanted to talk about some good news regarding our local kids and a big company called Pepsi. Pepsi has given many average and local people the opportunity to have an idea or dream actually become a reality. If you haven't already noticed, Pepsi did NOT spend their money this year for an ad in the Super-bowl, instead they decided to put their money to help fund people's ideas and get them off the ground.
One such idea we can find right in our own backyard. It's the Hudson Valley Wind Youth Ensemble. This group of local Elemen-tary and Jr. High kids come together and get challenged by a great Director, one of which is very familiar to a lot of people in our county, Sue Lichtenberg. I've had the great pleasure of seeing these kids in action and what they can do is amazing. If you were to close your eyes and just listen to the brilliant performances you would have no idea that this musical talent is coming from such young kids....our own local kids! I personally know some of these kids, some of which go to the Onteora school district as well as other districts in the Hudson Valley.
This grant, if given to the Hudson Val-ley Wind Ensemble will not only provide more scholarships to children in our area and allow them to express and push their musical talents but it will also allow the music/arts to be of-fered to kids whose families may not have the opportunity to do so financially. Please take a moment to look at this great cause that Pepsi is offering to our kids at: http://www.refreshev-erything.com/HVYWE. Read about how your family/children can benefit from this grant. If you haven't already, contact your local schools to find out more about Sue and the Hudson Valley Wind Ensemble, their FREE concert will be held in June and you can come and see for yourself just how very amazing our kids are! Thanks so much!!!
Karen Estes
Shokan, NY
Dear Editor,
Is it real, all the excitement that's rolling out of my TV screen this morning (March 24)? Our vice president just declared that health care for all is now the law of the land. A few years ago Citizens for Universal Health Care was a lonely bunch howling in the wilderness, calling for Single Payer ad-ministrations when that was still an extreme concept. How does it sound today? Did we make a difference? Are the righteous legions still out here, still passionate and ready to act, pressing to make it real? Is it time now? What do you say?
Steve Knight
Woodstock, NY
Dear Editor,
I now understand what is meant by: "Perfection is the enemy of the good". The very idea of a black president, is the still standing confederates biggest nightmare come true. Fortunately, it came in the body of a highly intelligent man, who realized the impractical-ity of demolishing the existing system upon his arrival into office. First, he had to study the foundation of the structure, which could only be done by living inside it. He then had to assess which of the beams were holding the whole thing up, and which could begin to be replaced, one step at a time.
I am aware of the fact that this is an unpopular theory, but I've seen it this way from the beginning. Perhaps Obama thought that if he took giant steps, he'd stir up even more discord than we've seen, and we've seen a lot. After all, no one has come up against the exist-ing corporate structure for decades. Perhaps his tactics are one step at a time.
Also, we have recently seen the Re-publicans ability to stick together regardless of differences, and surely some of them see the fairness of covering 30-35 million working Americans, including children, who are pres-ently uninsured. But apparently, they will do anything to keep their power, including back-ing the Tea Party, and spreading lies about just about everything in order to protect their investments. Furthermore, should they have a twinge of conscience, the lobbyists for the Corporations are there to ease their pain, with football seats, private plane trips, or whatever they give them.
One thing the Republicans understand is a basic rule: United We Stand, Divided We Fall. Democrats, generally being more individual thinkers simply don't get that. We are at a very dangerous time in the preserva-tion of our liberties. If we remain divided, the Republicans will take over, and they will heed the wishes of their corporate bosses, believ-ing that they will continue to get their piece of the action, which many of them will. And yes, I do agree that there are many democrats in this same boat. That is why the bill that they managed to pass, preserved most of what the Insurance companies wanted.
So, what is the answer? Come to-gether... right now.... over what are still your rights. Organize. If you don't like your democratic representatives, then find someone to replace them, and work for them. Don't be lazy, and just sit back and complain. Take charge while you can. Bear the alternative in mind. Do you really want John Behner, or someone like him for President? Are you really too busy to be responsible for your kids future? If you do this, I promise to help find a way to make it fun. After all: Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport.
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY
Dear Editor:
Poor John Boehner! So bitterly you wept as you bemoaned the Democrats ram-ming health care through Congress, and so pitifully you sob that they've violated the will of the American people! But you see, John, I have an attention span, so I remember the past eight years, when both Congress and the entire Bush administration were doing both of those every minute, and you were loving it! Typical Republian hypocrisy...
J. Andrew Smith
Bloomfield, NJ
Dear Editor,
Aesop: A man and his son were once going with their donkey to market. As they were walking along by his side a countryman passed them and said, "You fools, what is a donkey for but to ride upon?" So the man put the boy on the donkey, and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said, "See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides."
So the man ordered his boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other, "Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along."
Well, the man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his boy up before him on the donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passersby began to jeer and point at them. The man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at.
The men said, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey of yours - you and your hulking son?"
The man and boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, until at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them until they came to a bridge, when the donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the donkey fell over the bridge, and his forefeet being tied together, he was drowned.
Moral of this story: Try to please everyone, and you will please no one.
Howard Harris
Bearsville, NY
Dear Editor,
Former Assistant Sec. of the Trea-sury Paul Craig Roberts wrote in an article on March 24: "America's fate was sealed when the public and the anti-war movement bought the government's 9/11 conspiracy theory. The government's account of 9/11 is contradicted by much evidence. Neverthe-less, this defining event of our time, which has launched the U.S. on interminable wars of aggression and a domestic police state, is a taboo topic for investigation in the media. It is pointless to complain of war and a police state when one accepts the premise upon which they are based. " Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer, and a contributing editor to The American Conservative and a fellow at the American Conservative Defense Alliance, wrote re-cently: "Three strikes and you're out, Mr. Obama. Your government stands for pre-emptive killing and missile strikes on people living in countries with which America is not at war, lets torturers and torture enablers go free, and has asserted the right to assassi-nate its own citizens anywhere in the world based on secret evidence. Ronald Reagan once described his vision of America as a shining city on a hill. Over the past ten years the shining city has become the ultimate rogue nation, pumped up with power and hubris in spite of the clearly visible signs of decline and moving inexorably towards a catastrophic fall."
It is the intellectual laziness of the anti-war movement in refusing to study the evidence of 9/11 being an inside job that has led us to the point where Obama is continu-ing Bush's illegal policies and even expand-ing them with barely a peep from those who thought they were voting for "change," to the point where only a few thousand showed up for an anti-war march in Washington, DC recently and only seven of us crossed the line to be arrested with Peace Activist Cindy Sheehan. A half dozen Left gate-keepers as-sure the anti-war movement "there's nothing there," "it's a diversion," "don't waste your time," "they are wacko conspiracy theorists," and the easily-led breathe a sigh of relief: "Good, don't have to spend a couple of days reading a few books to decide for myself, I'll just trust Chomsky, Cockburn, Goodman, Rothshild, Corn and company." Chomsky played the same role in telling people not to look at the JFK assassination and not to question the Warren Commission Report. I recommend David Ray Griffin's latest book: The Mysterious Collapse Of WTC 7. There is no doubt anymore that WTC 7 came down at free fall for at least 2.5 seconds and that this could only have occurred with the use of controlled demolition. The rest of you are living in a dream world, a shadow world, if you refuse to look at the evidence.
Jim Veeder
Saugerties, NY
Dear Editor,
You already have home insurance. Now find out if you are covered for your home studio and workspace.
It was Easter 2009 and Raymond J. Steiner, my husband and partner in Art Times, set about to do his usual spring maintenance on our tractor. The tractor (an old Wheel Horse) was kept in a wooden outbuilding, situated between two other wooden structures on our property in Saugerties. The 24-foot-long building held our lawn and garden equipment. About 25 years ago, Raymond had walled off one end - about a half of the entire building - and made it into a small private study. It was where he read and studied and over the last ten years, since he resumed painting, it was also used to store painting materials and touch up his paintings, which were done primarily en plein air.
When he started the tractor to move it outside the building, there was a burst of flames. He quickly jumped off the tractor and attempted to smother the fire. He realized that the flames which appeared to be coming from the top of the battery were situated directly beneath the gas tank, and it dawned on him that since he was hanging over a full tank of gas that he had better get out of the building. He ran to the house and dialed 911 to report the fire. He then heard the explosions as our tiller, gas tanks and oil cans exploded. Flames began to consume the building. Within min-utes, volunteer firemen and trucks arrived. But the fire had grown quickly and destroyed not only the shop structure and contents but also caused tremendous smoke and water damage to his study/studio.
I called our insurance company to re-port the fire. An adjuster was sent out within a few days. He took all the information and questioned what the building was used for. Was Raymond a professional artist, since brushes, easels and paint tubes were strewn on the ground? Had he sold any paintings? Had he had any exhibitions? Raymond does have a website which reflects his work as a writer, editor and painter.
After all the paperwork was submitted to the insurance company and an examiner took a look at the damage (to determine cause of fire), we expected a settlement to be forth-coming. Well, it didn't. Even before a second investigator (a retired New York City police-man) came and interviewed and recorded each of us, I began to feel that there was a problem that related to the building's usage.
I called the state Insurance depart-ment and questioned how "a business" was defined. "Inventory and people traffic" were the criteria, he explained. Then I called our agent and told them that it seemed that the insur-ance company was questioning the use of the outbuilding. The insurance company's position was that since Raymond had been in a few art shows and sold a few paintings during the past several years he was a professional artist and therefore not covered by our homeowners' insurance (which did include the outbuildings). I would call someone a professional if they are earning a living, putting effort into securing gallery exhibits, and actively selling their work.
Well, what about Art Times, I said? We have had the Art Times office on the property in a separate wing of the house for the past 26 years. My insurance agent assured me that both Art Times and Raymond's study/studio were covered in our homeowners' policy.
Apparently, that was not the case.
Five months later after we had retained a lawyer, given time-consuming examinations under oath, and submitted income-tax returns for the past five years, a call came from our adjuster that a check would be coming within the week for the rebuilding of the structure plus a check for the items lost. What a relief! But what a huge personal toll it had taken!
Given this experience, I began to ask artists and other people who have home offices whether they are covered by their homeown-ers' policy. So many don't want to ask the question. So many are concerned about the additional cost. The fact is that if you are using any part of your home/property for a business and there are damages for which you would put in a claim your insurance company may very well not pay the claim.
So call your insurance agent or company. Find out if you are covered. Turns out that we are covered for a certain dollar figure to cover office equipment but not for loss of data. If I wanted to be covered for a higher amount, there would be an additional fee of a few hundred dollars. In an office situation there are a few computers, printers and phones. An artist and craftsperson has much more costly supplies.
Don't wait! I repeat, you already have insurance, now find out if your studio and work areas are covered.
Cornelia Seckel
High Woods, NY
Dear Editor,
Friendly Farm is a healthy and friendly environment for chickens, goats, lambs, rab-bits, dogs and cats. There are no cages for the chickens, and the rabbits are let out of their cages every day.
We have two goats - Blessing and Capricorn. Blessing, was nursed by a big furry goat who is a Nubian cross-breed goat living in a happy and secure environment. She is a well-adjusted wonderful, beautiful goat. The other goat, Capricorn, was taken away from its mother and raised to be meat, so the mother's milk could be sold at a high price to be used for milk and cheese.
Why is this cruelty allowed to hap-pen? The goat could have been weaned by its mother, who would then continue to be milked and still be producing milk every day.
Blessing is happy and secure and Capricorn frantically follows anyone around, trying to get milk.
It seemed that Capricorn was starving, so I decided to increase the bottle feedings to three times a day instead of two. The goat meat producers believe that the baby goat should be hungry so that it eats grain more quickly, which is less expensive than milk and less time-consuming than bottle feeding. The baby goat was being treated as a commodity, not as a sentient being with feelings and emotions.
Since I nursed my own three children, I know that the goat will eat grain when it is ready, and meanwhile needs milk, so I began feeding her three times per day. The little goat's belly is getting rounder every day, and she is happier, not saying "ma ma ma ma" hysterically in the barn all day and night anymore. She is already eating grain and hay.
The life of Capricorn, the mountain goat, is going to make a statement to the world about the unnecessary cruelty perpetrated by the meat industry. The same thing is also done with lambs. Why? The poor little baby lambs are also not left with their mothers, but are taken away and bottle fed. We also have a rescued lamb here at Friendly Farm. In the dairy and meat industry, the main problem is that the cows have their calves killed for meat and then they are milked by machines for profit and kept in stalls where they cannot even walk around and graze. Chickens are also kept in small cages where they cannot walk around and are used as meat and egg-producing machines.
Native Americans also killed animals for meat, but it was done in a more conscious way, only taking what they needed for their families to survive and the animals had happy lives living in nature before they were used for food.
Humanity, wake up! The karma in-volved in the cruelty to these animals is ingest-ed by the people who eat them. Free-range chickens are happier and their eggs have a different quality and taste, and are healthier and more delicious because they contain more life energy.
To all my relations, let us pray for the transformation of the meat industry!
Friendly Farm: Peace, love, good vibes! You are welcome to come and pet the healthy happy animals!
Morningstar Raindance
West Saugerties, NY
Dear Editor,
I'm writing to applaud the many people from the Phoenicia School and our community who made our District Family Night Celebration of India such a success. More than 300 people attended the event to hear the fabulous performance by Ray Spiegel and Steve Gorn and enjoy the delicious Indian food provided by Kiran Sancious, Rachel Marco, Robin Chess, and our parent volunteers. Veronica Domingo's henna booth, Tamara Lang's tranquility tent, Maxanne Resnick's Indian bazaar, and Mimi Goese's Spice Booth were also big hits.Euge-nia Kraus and her young dancers entertained us with an authentic South Indian dance performance. A big shoutout too to those who helped transform the Phoenicia School into an exotic realm, especially Jen Dragon and Kevin Kraft, as well as our parent volunteers. The teachers and students, who have been studying about the history and culture of India, also added greatly by creating many wonderful decorations.
Upon arriving at our school, many noticed out front our eye-catching new Phoenicia School sign, designed, created and installed gratis by Kurt Boyer. Thank you, Kurt! The Phoenicia School is truly blessed to have such a supportive community and such enthusiastic, creative staff and students!
Holly George-Warren
President, Phoenicia PTA
Dear Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the volunteers of the Shandaken Firehouse. Not only have they opened their doors to us every other Thursday night but now they have even purchased us our ceremonial flag! During these tough economic times it helps us out tremendously and should not go un-noticed.
Roberta Curtis
Treasurer ( & Scout Mom)
Shandaken Cub Scouts Pack 60
Dear Editor,
Sometime between Christmas and the end of January, someone decided to cut an evergreen shrub and a bridal wreath bush from my father and mother-in-law's grave in the Hudler cemetery in Mt. Tremper. They also removed several mementos that their grandchildren had placed there. The evergreen had been bought and planted by their grandchildren, and the bridal wreath bush had come from my mother-in-law's garden. They both had special meaning.
I can't imagine what pleasure anyone gets by doing something so despicable, and I wonder how they can live with their conscience. May you have many sleepless nights.
Mrs. Lois Umhey
Mt. Tremper, NY
Dear Editor,
Next week, schools, campuses and communities across the country celebrate National Library Week, a time to remind the public about the contribution libraries, librarians and library workers make to their communities every day.
In today's tough economy, libraries offer free resources to help people find jobs and learn new skills. People of all ages and backgrounds find entertainment, develop skills and come to find their place in the community. People gather for book discussions, for story time with their children or to volunteer or look for volunteer work. Our library helps the community thrive.
Our libraries also help keep us connected, providing a space for people of all ages, classes and races to come together, while keeping us connected to events and people around the world.
To celebrate Library Week, we would like to invite everyone in the community to attend an Afternoon Tea on Saturday, April 10th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the library. Come and see what your library has to offer!
How can the library help you thrive? National Library Week is the perfect time to find out. Communities thrive @ your library.
The Board of Trustees of the
Olive Free Library