Letters 4/9/2009

Dear Editor,
My wife and I are artists, we live modestly in small house heating with propane and wood.. At night we put our thermostat on 50 degrees, during the day we keep the woodstove going and keep the propane heater thermostat on 60. We try to burn as little gas as possible and use about 250 gallons a year. I just got a propane delivery from Paraco and they charged me $4.29 a gallon. This seems outrageous, the price per barrel for oil has gone way down, gasoline is down, fuel oil is down, but the propane cost is still way up there.
I called Paraco to complain. They explained to me that since I was a small user (under 300 gal per year), I must pay $4.29 a gallon for gas. If I had a bigger house and used more gas I would pay $2.50 a gallon. In the era of global warming this is totally backwards. The propane delivery truck comes up the road, goes to a McMansion, fills the tank and charges the owner $2.50 a gallon, then the same truck comes to our house, delivers the exact same product and charges us $4.29 a gallon. So all the people conserving are subsidizing the heat of the people who burn tons of gas. You can not switch to another company because (at least according to Paraco) it is propane policy nationwide to do this. Does this sound like racketeering, like a rip off and a scam to you? It sure sounds like that to me. All us small users have to get together and sue these people, get our money back and force them to sell propane at equal price to all customers.
We must organize. If you are tired of being ripped off by your propane company and want your money back email me at tslow@aol.com.
Tim Slowinski
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
Don't listen to the children, past or present of Onteora High School, for they know not what they are talking about! That appears to be the message the grown ups are sending when it comes to the INDIE program. Every time a student speaks out, their words seem to fall on deaf ears, time and time again.
When is this District going to learn something new, I wonder? I was a member of a past administrative team that prided itself on listening to our students.
As a past Assistant Principal of Onteora High School, I found myself engaged with INDIE on an almost daily basis.
I looked into the eyes of the student who, without it would have surly dropped out.. I saw teachers proud to be associated with the program. I witnessed the students of INDIE offer teachers new strategies to promote learning. Those lessons are not taught in college.
The students and staff I knew took such pride in their family within INDIE, that they wouldn't dare miss a day of school.
I was proud to be a part of the then administrative team recognizing the value of the the program at its core. The students respected us for our commitment to INDIE.
Furthermore, the work of those special students was showcased time and time again, and everyone knows that, except for those that dare to cut it from the current budget.
I believe this is the wrong course of action during hard times. The students will suffer and the high school building will be impacted in a way you have not thought out well. Time will tell that lesson.
Ronald Linchner, SDA
Fishkill, NY

Dear Editor,
I disagree with Onteora's school board President Resnick when she said closing a school won't solve the problem, it will help in reducing some operating budgets. Vice President Osmond agreed. Reducing any kind of operating cost is reducing spending which drives down spending and reduces the tax burden.
On March 30, 2009 President Obama made a major speech regarding the government's auto makers bail out plan. He mentioned some specifics about what GM and Chryslers had to do to receive more government money or face the possibility of facing a controlled bankruptcy process. In his comments he asks if GM had consolidated enough. I think most would take that to mean that if they wanted more bail out money they would be required to consolidate more then they have. He didn't make that comment because it cost more money to consolidate because consolidating drives down spending.
Onteora's School Board could and should be working on a reconfiguration and consolidating plan along the lines that was in discussions by the previous board. Closing a school like the Phoenicia school would drive down spending by eliminating, Cafeteria staff, Monitors, Custodial staff, Secretarial staff and some teaching staff. Further reduction in spending would be accomplished by reducing most heating costs, insurance, electricity, snow removal and general upkeep etc. Plus there would be the possibility of larger class sizes that would reduce the size of the teaching staff. At some point the sale of the school building would also help drive down spending.
Employee's salary and their benefits are the single most expensive part of any business or school's budget. Onteora is talking about reducing six or eight employees. Compare that to what some other schools are doing to drive down spending and what Onteora is doing is a drop in a very large bucket. Onteora's School board seems to be listening to what the public is saying instead of making the hard choices on their own.
William Warnecke
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
It bears repeating: where were the savings following the closure of West Hurley School? What did Onteora taxpayers get in exchange for changing the character of a neighborhood, laying off teachers and firing staff, and making Woodstock Elementary the most crowded school in the district?
In the conversation over closing Phoenicia school, a savings figure of $2.3 million keeps popping up, although no one seems to think anything close to that amount was saved by closing West Hurley. The $2.3 million sum was presented last year by a Budget Advisory Committee comprised of cronies of last year's ousted Board members, a committee that advocated closing Woodstock Elementary as well.
Opting not to act on the Budget Advisory Committee's recommendations, the new Board members got elected not only because they promised a moratorium on school closings. The election bore out several things that the new Board members ascertained from the community-at-large: 1) a large percentage of the public was not sold on a plan that included the creation of a grades five-through-eight middle school cheek-by-jowl with Onteora High; 2) in the eyes of most voters, busing fifth graders with twelfth graders across the second-largest district in the state is a bad idea; 3) small businesses and even folks without kids appreciate neighborhood schools; 4) the fact that both Phoenicia and Woodstock kindergartens swelled in numbers this year - defying predictions - casts reasonable doubt on the catch-phrase "freefall decline in enrollment"; and 5) you need not go far in the district to find taxpayers who saw no benefits from closing West Hurley, an action that exacerbated unfortunate rivalries amongst the distinct communities of Onteora.
So 2009 finds us with a proposed nine percent increase in our budget and much discussion about how to cut that down responsibly. (It should be noted that approximately a third of this is past due from last year; it was deferred by last year's Board. Not the "gift" that it was presented as, but more of an ill-timed reprieve designed to curry votes in last year's election.) While cost-saving ideas are being aired in public, the consolidation agenda will continue to come up. If it had proven to be an effective way to combat rising costs in the past, it would deserve attention. But it didn't and it doesn't.
Robert Burke Warren
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
I would like to address the fiscal responsibility of the Onteora Board of Trustees to the taxpayers of our district. In all due respect, there is a grave injustice being done when the closing of the West Hurley School is discussed. None of the present board members or administrators were involved in this decision or any investigation following the closing. This closing wa a knee jerk effort by the board, at that time, to save the district an increase of $850,000 in budgetary dollars. The school had some serious environmental issues that had to be addressed immediately. Rather than deal with a major increase to the budget, the decision was made to close the school and transfer all students to Woodstock. There was no immediate need for consolidation so all staff was kept intact and very little renumeration was seen in the budget.
Right now, if I were a board member I would.....
Ask for a study to be done on the feasibility of a consolidated K-4 in the Bennett School... without a bond.
Ask to have the middle school teams reconsider a 5-8 configuration... without a bond. My research shows that, although we wouldn't have all the nicities that a bond could bring, it could be done with no measurable out of pocket expenses for tha district.
If I were a board member I would...
Put a resolution on the floor to investigate the closing of the Phoenicia School and the feasibility of selling it to the Town of Phoenicia for $1. It could be used as a community center, town hall, public library, senior center, or whatever the need might be.
If I were a board member I would...
Question the retiring of a kindergarten teacher, if it is still in the budget proposal, With three elementary schools open, there is still a need for 6 kindergartens, even though these 6 will be housing only 14 to 16 students per class. With consolidation, there would only be a need for 5 classrooms which would also prove true in the other classes with consolidated Bennett School, immediately showing a considerable savings to the district.
If I were a board member I would...
Put a resolution on the floor to make the West Hurley building "school" ready and sell the Woodstock property. These nine acres in Woodstock are a valuable asset and could be sold for a major amount of money.
If I were a board member I would....
Ask the Transportation Department for a comparison of costs if we went from a two bell system to a one bell system...There are too many half empty school buses running in our district.
Our students exemplary education has always seemed to be the number one priority but trying to scratch items from each yearly budget in hopes of quelling the
rise in expenses is not bettering this educational process, it is limiting it. We must look to fiscal efficiency and long range goals regardless of how unpopular, in order to support the exemplary 21st century education we all dream of for our children and grandchildren... vision,not shortsightedness is the key.
I will vote "NO" to any budget that does not include consolidation and I would
urge others to do the same. The loss of equipment because of contingency is minor compared to the educational and financial disaster our district could potentially face.
Rita Vanacore
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
We are fast approaching that time of year when students in our county will be taking part in proms and graduations. Although it is justifiably a time of joy and celebration, it is equally one for caution and restraint. As I am sure you share my concerns in this regard, I offer the following for your consideration and guidance and to enlist your assistance.
Alcohol is by far the most widely used drug among our youth and is directly associated with risk-taking behavior and other disinhibiting effects that increase the chance of unsafe conduct on their part. Unfortunately, in recent years, our county, along with much of the rest of the nation, has experienced its tragic results.
Under certain circumstances, allowing property to be used in a manner where underage drinking is taking place may well constitute a crime. Section 260.20 of the Penal Law of the State of New York authorizes the prosecution of any individual who gives or sells or causes to be given or sold any alcoholic beverage to a person less than 21 years old. A violation of this section is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail or a $1,000.00 fine, or both. There is a similar section in the Alcohol Beverage Control Law of the State of New York, also a misdemeanor. They do not apply to a parent or guardian providing alcohol to his or her child.
However, on February 19, 2008, the County of Ulster passed a Local Law Number 2 of 2008, which, in pertinent part, provides that “no person having control of any premises shall allow an open house party to take place at said residence if such person knows or has reason to know that any alcoholic beverage or drug is being unlawfully possessed, served to or consumed by a minor at said residence.” It defines “open house party” as “a social gathering at a residence or other private property with minors present.” A violation of this law is punishable by a fine not exceeding $250.00 or imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or a combination thereof.
Furthermore, the Social Host Liability Act of the State of New York imposes civil liability upon any individual who knowingly serves or permits alcohol to be served to a minor if that minor causes injury to another as a result of his or her intoxication.
I am pleased that your school district has taken measures to prevent drinking by students at school-related functions and to deter the consumption of alcoholic beverages by individuals less than 21 years old. The administration, faculty, and students of your district are to be commended for their creative initiatives to discourage alcohol and drug use by students.
Accordingly, I ask that if you permit the use of your home for a prom, graduation, or other school-related event, you monitor the situation carefully to insure that all minors in attendance conduct themselves in a proper, responsible, and legal manner. In addition, I ask that if your child is contemplating using a limousine service to transport him or her to an event, you remind the owner/operator of such service of their responsibility in insuring compliance with the laws governing underage drinking.
As a result of the efforts of the Ulster County Underage Drinking Prevention Team, the law enforcement agencies of our county, and this office, the dangers presented by underage drinking have been identified and continue to be addressed. Any assistance you can render in that regard will be greatly appreciated by all of us, and more importantly, may save the life of one or more of our children and others.
Holley Carnright
Ulster County District Attorney

Dear Editor,
Recently I was having difficulty obtaining information from Ulster County and the Town of Shandaken so I decided to ask my State Assemblyman, Kevin Cahill, for assistance. After several phone calls explaining what my inquire was about I was told that he could not be of service because I was only a part time resident and did not vote in his district. He suggested that I call my Long Island representative for help.
I guess Assemblyman Cahill doesn't think that part time taxpaying residents make a contribution to the community. His concerns are for only those residents that cast a vote his way.
One third of my life is spent in the Shandaken area. I pay taxes, patronize local business, and volunteer, yet I have no vote in local government.
Should all taxpayers be allowed to vote in local elections? I hope to hear from part time residents as well as my full time neighbors.
Robert E. Steiner
Big Indian, NY

Dear Editor,
In response to your editorial "Farmstand Reality Check," I think the editor needs to check a little further.
Much of your praise for the proposed new law rests on the fact that it replaces an absurd old law. It goes without saying that a business limited to 100 square feet is ludicrous. But what makes 2,000 square feet sacred? Especially when that figure is already less than the footprints of the existing farm stands. 2,000 square feet isn't better if it doesn't allow current businesses to be sustainable much less grow.
The editorial claims "red herrings," were raised by opponents of the draft law. Yet, the editorial raises the most vivid herring yet by suggesting that without this zoning change the taxpayers are vulnerable to law suits from fatal accidents.
When it comes to zoning, the town needs to do a lot more than address farm stands. The crucial zoning issue is the fact that that section of the Rte 28 corridor has never been properly zoned commercial. The area running from the intersection of Rte 212 and Rte 28 to Alyce & Rodgers Farmstand on Rte 28, is still zoned hamlet residential.
This ill-conceived draft farmstand law does nothing to address the problem of multi-million dollar liability created by the town's ongoing failure to enforce existing zoning laws. Injured parties could still sue on the of basis traffic to and from any business that exists in that area. If you're going to make that argument, the town is going to have to close down a lot more than the farm stands on
Route 28.
What's at issue here is priorities. Why is the town government making it more difficult for people to buy fresh local food? Rather than micromanaging farmstands by proposing laws that require them to turn off the lights at dusk, and limiting what products they can sell, why not focus on creating meaningful zoning?
Martie Gailes
Big Indian, NY

Dear Editor,
Seymour Hersh wrote this week about some unbelievable ideas coming out of Darth Cheney's mouth over a period of time. They are so outrageous that I will not repeat them, until the truth is revealed. However, we do know that we recently heard Cheney say in an interview that President Obama was putting our nation in peril, and we have heard that Cheney told some Israeli politicians that Obama was a friend of the Palestinians and should not be trusted. This may have been caused by Obama's removal of torture from Cheney's playground, but who knows what ticked him off.
Something else we know is that the President that Cheney served said things like: "Do you have blacks, too?" to the Brazilian > President Cardosa; "I know how hard it is to put food on your family"; "First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers."; "I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain. I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being President"; and "I think war is a dangerous place".
Now, I might have laughed at some of these sayings in the past, bu I'm afraid that the day of reckoning has come. With Bush as our leader for 8 years, being told what to do by the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld and the powerful money lenders, Obama has to figure out how to keep us all from living in "tent cities", as they are in > parts of California, prevent a world war, which would probably mean us against most of the world, and keep his eye on global warming.
So, what are we seeing from around the world, now that the evil ones are out of office? With less fear and more anger, Spain has stepped up to the plate to be the first to bring charges against 6 of our former heads of government for breaking the Geneva convention against torture - Cheney's favorite sport. Some of us are angry at Obama for not doing so himself. Well, I'd like to suggest that he has enough on his plate. Don't you hear him whispering in your ear, "some of this is up to you"? Now, I have been accused of hearing things from far off places before, so don't take my word for it. Instead, go to what democracy is supposed to be, and remember the part: "By the People". I think it's time for We, the People to step up to the plate and start letting our present government know which issues we find important enough to > fight for. As far as I'm concerned, movies about super human monsters beating each other up, with animated weapons just aren't worth the price. If we used the time we waste on such things, maybe we could have an impact on our future. Eh?
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
It takes a lifetime to really understand bees. After keeping bees for 20 years I still consider myself a beginner. Many of us have heard of the trouble effecting honey bees in recent years. Hive loses over the winter continue to be high and in some areas pollination of food crops is threatened. There are many factors that effect bee health. Numerous disease, mites, pesticides individually and in concert with one another create a very complex profile that leaves one wondering how there are any bees left at all. It is the persistence, creativity and the fact that beekeepers passionately love their bees that probably accounts for the situation not being worse than it currently is.
In 2006 the honey bee genome was decoded and yielded some very insightful information. Honeybees have a high number of genes relating to learning and in fact are better learners than mosquitoes or fruit flies. They also have a very high number of genes relating to smell which is essential in helping them find nectar sources that may be miles away from the hive. However, honeybees have few genes relating to immunity and detoxification. From an evolutionary point of view this is logical since bees fed on nectar and pollen and therefore haven't needed mechanisms to deal with toxins or pathogens that are part of the diet of other insects and animals. The result is that honey bees are not well predisposed to fighting infection and eliminating toxins from their systems.
Research, particularly in France, supports the theory that a currently used pesticide in trace amounts once thought to be too small to have any effect at all, in fact does compromise the honeybees' health and behavior. It belongs to a class of pesticides that is in widespread use for crops. The same pesticide is available for home use on lawns, gardens and in our homes. Sold under various names like Merit, Marathon, Advantage and often included in "Weed and Feed" combinations, the active ingredient is a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids. It acts by disrupting the insects' central nervous system. Possibly because a high degree of bee behavior is learned and bees are particularly susceptible to toxins, even tiny traces amounts of insecticides negatively affect them. Both France and Germany have banned or limited the use of this class of insecticide because of evidence connecting them with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
There are of course numerous other herbicides and pesticides available from garden centers or lawn treatment services. Each has some degree of toxicity associated with it. Some are clearly dangerous to humans, pets and the environment. In my opinion it is likely that many have a yet unproven effect on honeybees. The National Recourses Defense Council is currently suing the EPA to release information they are withholding relating to the impact of insecticide use on pollinators.
The interacting systems that effect honey bee health are extremely complex and it is unlikely that definitive proof will be available and accepted in the near future. You may recall it took over ten years to ban the use of DDT and until it was banned, many people continued to use it following some sort of strange logic that "if I can buy it, it must be safe to use." This is one of those situations where I am asking you to do what feels right starting now, this spring. Please refrain from using insecticides and herbicides in your gardens and on your lawns. Find other alternatives. What you do in your yard is not limited to your property, but effects those around you and our community.
If you're interested in learning more read A Spring without Bees an excellent book by local author Michael Schacker.
Mark Antman
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
Want to know more about the Civilian Conservation Corp's role in Phoenicia and surrounding areas during the Great Depression? Then you might want to check out a talk given at the Phoenicia Library on Wednesday, April 22, at 2 p.m. by Diane Galusha, author of the new book, Another Day, Another Dollar: The Civilian Conservation Corps in the Catskills, just out from Blackdome Press.
In the mid-'30s, workers from CCC camps in our area helped build the Woodland Valley campground, as well a s campgrounds at Devil's Tombstone, off Rt. 214, and at North Lake, among other local projects. The camps were established by FDR to assist unemployed men ages 18 to 25 by providing them with work in conservation projects in exchange for shelter, clothing, three meals a day, and payment of $30 a month, or $1 a day.
Galusha, a Margaretville resident and founding president of the Middletown Historical Society, pored over 1930s local newspapers and interviewed 15 former workers while researching her book. She has lots of great stories to tell.
This Phoenicia Library event is free and is sure to be a real treat for those interested in learning more about local history, as well as how our area managed during the (last) Great Depression.
Holly George-Warren
Phoenicia Library Board