Letters 7/3/2008

Dear Editor,
On March 22, 1990, I wrote Olive Supervisor Berndt Leifeld a letter starting as follows and going on to discuss some possibilities for the future of the Town of Olive:
"The Town of Olive sufferred the loss of its strongest center when New York City acquired the Esopus and Beaverkill drainage basin for construction of the Ashokan Reservoir. Many of the people displaced by the city relocated along the new roads built to bypass the new reservoir, such as the present State Route 28. The city assumed no responsibility for creating a new community or communities for the people displaced. The Town of Olive today, in consequence of the city's failure, lacks a strong community center; it is a township without a town."
I proposed then and again later that the Town of Olive plan and encourage the building of a magnet township center, "Olive New Town." The time then was not right. New pressures and opportunities, both social and economic, suggest that perhaps the time has come today to plan and create "Olive New Town." It could be situated in Samsonville, Krumville or Olivebridge, outside the City's watershed; or in West Shokan, Boiceville, Shokan or Ashokan, in the watershed. The sites under greatest pressure are Ashokan, Shokan, and Boiceville.
The biggest economic change since 1990 is the cost of gasoline, and of energy generally. Also noticeable is the substantial increase in traffic on State Route 28, a key passageway to the Catskill Region. And there is an increase in the average age of our population, coupled with increasing local economic stress. Having one's own house in the woods or on old farmland is fine, but so is the efficiency and sociability of town living.
A number of recent initiatives by the Ulster County Planning Board and the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development; and the "Smart Growth Initiative" of the State of New York encourage my suggestion that this may be an appropriate time for the Town of Olive and its planning board to rise to this challenge.
Sherret Spaulding Chase
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
I read of the passing of Ed Bolsetzian in this latest issue of "the Phoenicia Times". Once again, an obituary, while succint, seems inadequate to describe the deceased it is written about. Having known Ed Bolsetzian, I knew him to be a unique character whose breed is nearly extinct. As such, I feel compelled to write a bit more about the man.
I first became aware of Ed Bolsetzian when we relocated to Shandaken in about 1990. Having young children attending the Onteora schools, I had reason to attend Onteora Central School District meetings. Ed and his wife, Betty were regular fixtures at these meetings. Ed would be dressed in his usual attire of a flannel shirt or heavier wool work shirt and a worn and frayed striped locomotive engineer's cap. Given a chance to speak, Ed would demand to know why the school dristrict was not "teaching the work ethic", and usually close his remarks with something like; "It's a jungle out there". At one such OCSD meeting, some woman heard Ed speak out against expenditures and similar. He had descirbed how the closest to a college education he had come was passing the front gate of a college campus. He went on about how the students at OCSD needed to be taught the work ethic and learn honest trades and similar. When he wound down, some well-intentioned woman looked at Ed and said something like "I understand your viewpoint and feel your pain" before attempting to offer a counterpoint to Ed's arguments. The woman stopped to draw a breath and Ed roared into the breach. Ed was not that tall, but it seemed like he went up one side of that woman and down the other, lecturing her about not knowing hard work and hard times, and how unprepared she as well the OCSD students were in his opinion. I looked at Ed and between his way of speaking and precise nature, and looking at his hands, I figured him for another oldtime machinist or similar. Inwardly, I was cheering for Ed, as I immediately saw him as the type of oldtimer who had "broken me in" when I worked part time in machine shopsas a high school kid. As I was to find out, I was on the mark. I really cannot recall how or when I was first introduced to Ed Bolsetzian, but I know it was by way of the Catskill Mountain Railroad no long after seeiing and hearing him at the school board meetings..
Ed found out I was a mechanical engineer and had worked as a machinist, so there was some commonality. In truth, Ed had a deep-seated suspicion of anyone with an engineering degree or professional engineer's license and let me know as much. What finally cut it with Ed was when he found out I had graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and had worked as a machinist. That got me some credability with Ed and I got to know Ed a bit better as the years passed.
Ed graduated from Brooklyn Tech during the Great Depression. He was born of Armenian immigrant parents in very modest circumstances. For Ed, going to Brooklyn Tech HS was a dream. entering Brooklyn Tech, Ed studied hard and appeciated the education he was getting. Unfortunately, due to family circumstances (Ed's dad was disabled and unable to work) and the overall effects of the Great Depression, Ed had to leave Brooklyn tech to take a job with a photo-engraving firm. Ed told me he hated the job, and longed to get back to Brooklyn Tech. He was a crusty oldtimer when he related this to me, but he told me he broke down and cried, not wanting to work int he photo engraving field and wanting only to get back to Brooklyn Tech and try to work into the machine trades. Ed's sister withdrew from high school to take a job to support the family, and Ed re-entered Brooklyn tech. He said he had to study hard to catch up, but dug back in and graduated from the Mechanical Course with the class of 1933.
Ed became a tool and diemaker of the old school, and worked at that profession for the rest of his career. He retired from formal employment as a tool and diemaker in 1972, and moved to Phoenicia, NY. His retirement gift to himself was a brand-new Bridgeport vertical milling machine and used Southbend 9" bench lathe. Ed and his wife Betty had the machine shop and photographic darkroom on the ground floor of their house and live dont he second floor. Ed was a perfectionist, and re-scraped the lathe and all of the various tooling such as rotary tables, surface plates, angle plates and similar to enable working to less than a ten thousandth of an inch. With the simple and perhaps obsolete manual machine tools and basic machinists' instruments, Ed routinely made fixtures for grinding prisms for lasers and optics in medical instrumentation. As hobbies, Ed enjoyed railroading, photography using an oldtime dry-plate camera, and travelling around the USA with his wife to visit steam railroads and similar. Another pet hobby of Ed's was watch-making. Ed worked on the old Hamilton railroad pocketwatches, and took great pride in fitting Hamilton "railroad movement" works into billet stainless cases he made. Nine of us in the community who are either machinists or railroaders (or both) produdly wear pocket watches reworked and cased by Ed Bolsetzian in 1995. I have pocket watch "number 5 of 9" with Ed Bolsetzian's signature engraved in the back of the watch case. I came to call that pocket watch my "Shandaken Rolex" and would not trade it for the latest and greatest offering from Rolex. When I pull that pocket watch out, people who know watches ask about it and I tell them: "It's an original Bolsetzian" and show them the workmanship.
Ed was proud of his craft of tool and diemaker and proud to have been an alumni of Brooklyn Technical High School. He never resorted to using digital readout (DRO) on his machine tools and never went near today's computer numerically controlled (CNC) machne tools. Withall, the world beat a path to his door for the work he did. I'd be asleep late at night and the phone would ring. It would be Ed Bolsetzian and the call would go something like: "Joe ? This is Eddie. What is the sine of 5 degrees 37 minutes and 5 seconds". I'd get the lamp turned on, get the pocket calculator and get the sine of that odd angle figured for Ed. He'd then ask how I arrived at that value for that sine, and we'd go over that a few times. Ed would say something like he believed I was right with my math, and hang up. Ed apparently figured if he was up and working at 2 AM, everyone else ought to be as well. fromt ime to time, ed would ask me if the CNC machine tools could do the work he did. I never had the hear to tell him what CNC capabilities were, and instead told him the "new breed" of engineer or too,maker was helpless without computer software. That answer used to satisfy Ed. I think Ed's wife once commented to my wife and me that she wondered how we handled the late-night phone calls from her husband. I told Ed and his wife that I hoped to live as long as he did, and to be in a condition to still be working and sharp enough to get young (I was then about 50 years old) engineers out of bed to check my figuring. I told Ed he could roust me out of a good night's sleep any old time, knowing he was one of the last of his breed.
As a Professional Engineer, I had developed a part time practice doing engineering on steam locomotive boilers for railroads around the country. Ed loved steam locomotives, so we shared that interest. Ed and his wife were long-standing volunteers at the Empire State railway Museum in Phoenicia, NY. One day in about 1997, I took our daughter for her first ride on the back of my old BMW motorcycle. Our daughter was perhaps 12 years of age. We rode two-up from our home up the road down into the Village of Phoenica. I rode slowly down Main Street, with our daughter waving to everyone in town whom she knew. I wheeld over to the Phoenicia Station, where a gang of people I knew would be working on the railroad track and rolling stock. They gave my daughter quite the welcome and congratulated her on her first motorcycle ride. Ed Bolsetzian was up on the station platform. He saw us wheel in on the old motorcycle, and came off the platform. I can still see him hooking his thumbs in the band of his pants, with the worn "engineer's cap" he wore in his shop and everywhere else on his head. He looked the BMW motorcycle up and down and said: "Joe, I got a question. Do you experience a torque reaction from the crankshaft and driveshaft ?" I told Ed I had been riding BMW motorcycles for about 25 years at that point, and the torque reaction was so slight as to be hardly noticeable. Ed then told me he had held that question in his mind since 1939, when he had visited the Indian Motocycle (that's the way the firm spelled it) factory in Springfield, MA. Ed had seen the Indian four cylinder motorcycles coming out of the factory, and had been thinking about the torque reaction from the engine crankshaft orientation ever since. I asked Ed if he had gone to Springfield, MA to see the Indian motorcycles made, or had some interest in motorcycles. He spat on the ground and said he had no use for motorcycles, only had gone to the Indian plant to see some steam locomotive switching cars. Despite his dislike for motorcycles, he had held the question about the torque reaction in an axially placed motorcycle engine for nearly 60 years. Having gotten his answer from me, Ed grunted and went back up onto the platform.
Ed had his own definite ideas about many things. In particular, Ed did not like gasoline powered vehicles. He served as a fire commissioner for the local volunteer fire company for many years, and felt gasoline was a dangerous fuel. Ed walked that talk. He held stock in Caterpillar, so paid 'Cat headquarters in Peoria, Illinois a personal visit one day years ago. Ed arrived at the 'Cat headquarters and announced that as a shareholder, he wanted to talk to 'Cat engineering. Before it was over with, Ed and the 'Cat engineers had designed a diesel conversion for a Chevy Blazer and a 3/4 ton pickup. Ed then bought two brand new 'Cat 3208 diesel engines and had them installed to his design in each of these vehicles. He and Betty drove aorund the region for years and took cross-country trips in their vehicles repowered with 'Cat diesels. Until nearly the end of their lives, Ed and Betty heated their home with wood, and still lugged in split cordwood themselves. They volunteered for many things in the community, and remained active in community affairs until very nearly the end of their lives. Ed and Betty remained quite proud of their Armenian heritage and journeyed forth even in their advancing years to attend family functions as far removed as Boston. Ed shared little bits and pieces of his earlier life with me, telling me how his father, while disabled, tried to help support their family. Ed showed me a home made hand "fret" saw his father had used to do furniture repairs, which was kept hanging near the entry to the machine shop.
Ed Bolsetzian was a crusty old toolmaker who was self-learned in many areas. As such, he did not suffer fools and idle conversation willingly. Ed was well read, and never walked away from an argument and did not hesitate to speak his mind if he figured the persons he was up against were worth debating with. I'd seen him rip into people at school board meetings regualrly, demanding the school system get back to basics and "teach the work ethic". He had the belief that if he had made it through hard times and gotten a fine education via the public school system, there was no excuse for anyone else. Ed tended to use his Brooklyn Tech education as somethng of a benchmark and regarded the current public education standards as some kind of watered down joke that was not likely to prepare young people for real life. Outwardly, Ed had this crusty, casehardened manner. Inwardly, he had a surprisingly soft side. It was a side he did not often show, probably because the world he had come into had no time or place for it. My first knowledge that Ed Bolsetzian had something of a softer side came when I was dirving laong Route 214. I saw Ed walking accross Route 214, so pulled over to say hello to him. I asked him what he was up to, and he showed me a galvanized box-type mousetrap which catches the mice live. Ed had walked out to release the mouse in that trap, unharmed, back into the wilds. He turned the mouse loose with advice that was typical of Ed: "Lean an honest trade and make a living..."
I came to find that Ed had little or no regard, if not suspicion for anyone with degrees or credentials. As a Professional Engineer, I came to find that Ed paid no attention to my degree or license. What did impress Ed was that I was a graduate of the Brooklyn Technical High School Mechanical Course, class of 1968, and that I had worked as a machinist and engine erector. Ed never forgot the education he got at Brooklyn Technical High School and remained proud of it to the end of his life. I take the same view of the education I received at Brooklyn Technical High School. I know that men like Ed Bolsetzian found the education they got at Brooklyn Technical High School was a ticket to a skilled trade and a good life. For me, it was a stepping stone to a career as a mechanical engineer. It was quite literally a passport for me to work overseas in remote places as an erector of large stationary diesel and steam engines, and it is an education I use every day in my work as a mechanical engineer as well as in doing part time machine shop work.
Ed had the build and craggy appearance of an oldtime woodcarved figure. He was short in physcial stature, but he was powerful, giving the sense of the old Mack trucks- smaller but massively built, slow to wind up, growling thru the gears, but no stopping him. In his manner of speech, Ed was deliberate, well spoken, and had a voice that had a growl to it like old spur gearing in machinery. I suppose a lot of us figured Ed, seemingly made of casehardened steel, would go on forever. One night a few years ago, my phone rang and it was Ed. He asked if I wanted to buy some of his machinist tools. I have a full set of machinist tools in the traditional oak chests, and each tool in those chests has it's story of men who taught me and jobs I went out on. So, while I had a full set of machinist tools already, I knew that if Ed was startign to part with his machinst tools, he was probably nearing the end of his life. I also knew that a few machinist tools in my chest from Ed would be special. I went over to Ed's house and he sold me a few micrometers, a few tools he'd made or modified, but mainly it was a kind of good-bye. It was to be perhaps the last time saw the Ed Bolsetzian I had known. When a machinist or toolmaker parts with their tools, it is usually a sign they finally admit their work is done. So it was with Ed Bolsetzian.
I know when I wind my "Bolsetzian" pocket watch each day, I cannot help but thnk of Ed and what his breed represented. When I do any sort of machine work, I wonder if it would pass Ed's critical eye. Of course, I cannot throw a leg over my old BMW motorcycle and give it the gun without remembering Ed's question, asked after nearly 60 years. They don ' t make men like Ed Bolsetzian any more, but I have my continuums with Ed.
Joe Michaels
Shandaken, NY

Dear Editor,
I would like to clarify an error in an article in the Freeman June 25th by William J. Kemble., “Proposed burn ban draws fire at hearing.” The article quotes Windham resident Mr. Nicholas Markow as stating “if he is not permitted to burn brush and tree limbs “we’d have to haul it down to the transfer point, which is about eight miles away from us.” This statement is incorrect. Greene County has a system called Greene County Solid Waste Management which operates several transfer stations. I have been told by several employees of Greene County that they do not accept any yard waste, brush, tree limbs or any biodegradable material. This eliminates this option to dispose of this material.In addition, Ulster County operates a system called the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency located on Flatbush Road in Kingston New York. Ulster County does in fact accept brush, but it must be no longer than 48" and limbs no longer than 48" or larger than 6" in diameter. This regulation also eliminates the disposal of a large amount of material if a tree is damaged or comes down.
In my opinion, in the several articles that I have read in your, and several other papers, it seems that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation seems to lump open burning with burning trash.The Department of Environmental Conservation lists numerous chemicals that are released in the atmosphere with “open burning,” but some are only emitted by burning trash. They appear to list loads of chemicals that I don’t believe are emited by burning wood. I would like them to provide such a list for review.
I have been told by a NYSDEC employee that they have NOT done a study on open burning of wood only.
This would indicate to me that burning wood only is not in the class of burning trash. In addition, the NYSDEC states that about 40 percent of wildfires in New York State between 1986 and 2006 were caused by open burns. Such burning caused 98 wildfires in the state in 2006. They do NOT indicate how many fires were started by trash barrels vs permitted open burns.
I would ask the appropriate NYSDEC personnel to use some common sense and stop all burning of trash either in barrels or otherwise, and permit a homeowner to burn branches and brush on their own property with the proper permits, safety equipment, and notification of the appropriate authorities as it is done now.
Rich Ostrander
Boiceville, NY

Dear Editor,
We are writing to respond to Karl Dyner’s letter that appeared in the Olive Press’ June 19th edition. We appreciate Mr. Dyner’s patronizing Hanover Farms and thank him for expressing his concern regarding traffic near the farm stand. We know that Hanover Farms is a busy place.
The idea of placing signs along the highway is something that we have already tried. In fact, we placed signs along Route 28 several times, only to have them vandalized and/or stolen. Prior to being stolen, one of the signs was discovered in the Esopus Creek (it appeared that the sign had been thrown over the bridge). Distressed that someone could act so irrationally, we offered a reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. Since the perpetrator has not been apprehended, that reward still stands.
Because the signs were expensive to have made, we were unable to replace them. We hope to have new signs made again this season.
Placing traffic cones along the shoulder is also something that we have considered. However, we have been unable to ascertain if we have the legal right to place cones on a State Highway.
Route 28 has a very long history of being an unsafe highway. Because of this longstanding history and in light of global environmental concerns and steep gas prices, it would benefit all drivers to slow down.
We greatly appreciate the community s support of the farm stand.
Al Higley
Hanover Farms
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
As noted in your newspaper, Whitman Electric, Inc. has filed a lawsuit against a long list of organizations here in Shandaken. This matter has been a long-standing contractual dispute in which Whitman says it performed according to contract and we at the Emerson say they did not. We will not speculate on why they chose to involve so many other parties who clearly have nothing to do with the dispute. We have filed counter claims against Whitman Electric and will let the attorneys deal with the dispute from this point forward.
Sadly, the article created the impression that the Emerson wouldn’t or couldn’t pay its debts and that now others will be obligated to do so. This is simply not true. The Emerson has done everything in its power to be a good corporate citizen and has and will continue to meet all of its legal and contractual obligations and will continue to do so.
Joan Lawrence-Bauer
Director of Public Relations
Emerson Resort & Spa
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
I am aghast that the Gitter group would try to fool all of us. Well, the truth shall make us free. You can't fool all of the people!! I, for one, know from the research I have done, that the sort of mega development that the spin-off of Emerson creates, historically, is higher taxes and fewer jobs. Let's not let them fool us into thinking that the survival of the wonderful state park called the Belleayre ski Center where all of my children have learned to ski, is dependant on the largesse of the mega bucks group. This is clearly a land grab to benefit the very few and exclude the rest of us. Please erase this latest attempt at tomfoolery. Take that sign down!!!
Lee Parker
Arkville, NY

Dear Editor,
A recent letter to the editor from Matt Frisch was so full of irony I had to respond. He says that Partners for Progress is using fear tactics in our effort to support the expansion of Belleayre Mt. Ski Center and the construction of the Belleayre Resort.
His group is called “Save the Mountain.” Just the name is a fear tactic because it makes one think a mountain is in some danger. That is not the case. The New York City DEP, the National Resource Defense Council, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, and a whole bunch of other major watchdog environmental groups have already agreed that this project can be done without endangering anyone.
They named the project a “mega-resort” and have compared it to behemoth resorts out west in places like Vail, with thousands and thousands of rooms and thousands of acres. Yet this little resort, by comparison to those they compare it to, won’t even begin to approach that size even at its maximum build out. Sounds like a fear tactic to me.
Save the Mountain has published pictures where they pasted renderings of houses at the top of the mountain and the added smoke billowing from smokestacks from them. There will be no wood burning fireplaces in any of those units, no smokestacks or chimneys like those are planned and they don’t even have the houses in the right place. The fear tactics these people have used are just too numerous to mention.
The worst fear tactic they have used is more insidious. It is the way they publicly and viciously attack – with personal slander and innuendo – anyone who comes out in favor of the resort. It is the quiet threat – and actual carrying out – of boycotting business owners who are willing to stand up and publicly support this project. I have heard from many business people that vocal Save the Mountain members have stopped going into the businesses of known project supporters.
For nearly a decade, project opponents have so intimidated everyone in the community that people who do support the effort have been afraid to speak up. That is ending now.
We will not be silenced any longer. And it is that fact, that is now making people in the Save the Mountain group, so fearful.
So fear not, Belleayre supporters. There are a lot of us out there and there is strength in numbers. Join us. Sign the petition(www.supportthecompromise.com) Pick up a bumper sticker or lawn sign. Write a letter to the editor or get involved some other way.
Erich Griesser
Oliverea, NY

Dear Editor,
First, they claimed their proposed mega-development would bring “more jobs/lower taxes. Now that it's generally known that Emerson's personnel and credit histories are not exactly sterling and the fact that the new message is cryptic but seems to imply, “if you want Belleayre to survive- support the development.” They want to equate their land speculation with the ski center and then pretend that it’s do or die- neither of which has an ounce of truth. Belleayre Mt. Ski Center has enjoyed record crowds in each of the last few years due to improvements and affordable ticket prices. More natural snow would be nice but that is only likely to get worse with or without a mega-resort. If the state delivers on its $50+ million investment to cater to the private development, the pressure to raise ticket prices and/or privatize would be irresistible. Greene County already has a persuasive argument against running the ski center at a loss before this huge new investment. To sum up, Crossroads/Belleayre resort is not synonymous with the Belleayre Mt. Ski Center and the ski center was doing just fine without Dean Gitter’s “help.”
Matt Frisch
Arkville, NY

Dear Editor,
In last week's paper, Matthew Frisch attempted to find fault with the employment record of the Emerson Resort and Spa. I feel compelled to set that record straight.
Over the past fifteen years we have spent many millions of dollars, developing, building and then re-building after fire, a first class resort. Most of the labor jobs in those building efforts were for people from Ulster, Greene and Delaware Counties.
In 12 years of operation, we've spent at least another $20 million in payroll for staff members, again, local people who get decent salaries and are eligible for many other benefits including vacation, sick and personal time, holiday time and health insurance. We've donated nearly $1 million in cash, goods and services to local non-profit organizations for use in their fundraising efforts.
In running our operation, we buy goods and services that range from supplies and materials, tools and equipment, food and product, and advertising and we
buy that locally at every opportunity. We generate huge sales tax and bed tax revenue and pay significant property taxes to school and town. We push our guests out the door each day to visit local shops and galleries, attend concerts and plays, to ski, tube, hike, golf and otherwise enjoy what other for-profit and not-for profits have to offer.
We have won two incredible awards never before imagined by a property in our area. Having been named by Conde-Nast Johanassens as the number one inn in North America, and having earned the first Mobil 4-star ranking for any New York spa property outside of New York City, we have brought a sense of pride
and accomplishment back to our town and our region.
People like Mr. Frisch love to look for blemishes. If you look hard enough, you may find some. The local people working for and running this property may not be perfect. But when we make mistakes, we correct them. I don't believe you will find any business of our size and scope that is without blemish but I do know you will not find a better employer in our area.
For all these years we have been good corporate citizens who are improving the quality of life here. It would be interesting to know, how the records of Mr. Frisch and his contributions to our community stack up against ours.
We are an example of why the Belleayre Resort should be built, not why it should be stopped. We are proud of our accomplishments and look forward to
continued contributions to our community.
Ron Van Warmer, General Manager
Emerson Resort & Spa
Mount Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
As this school year now comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation to the Phoenicia Elementary School community for a really outstanding year. As a deeply committed PTA community, we have accomplished so much by the dedication of so many people, students, teachers, parents and staff. It is impossible to name them all here, but their efforts are so very evident. We have a sustainably rennovated library. We have an award winning fourth grade class for their "Go Go Green" video about which State Senator Bonacic declared "awesome." We have students, teachers and staff who embraced the "Phoenicia Greeen/5r's"-- In this school-wide program we tackled our waste stream and since September of 2007, we have saved over 70 mature trees, reduced our landfill waste by 28 cubic yards and recycled over 6 tons of cardboard, paper and comingled items. The PTA purchased two more laptop computers for the Library Media Center. We sent two teachers to Arts in Education state sponsored seminar. The PTA purchased the "go go green" t-shirts for Ms. McInerney's fourth grade class to thank them for providing inspiration to the whole schoo and to wear at all their "gigs." The PTA also supplied the Jr. Olympics team with t-shirts for the District games in June. The PTA also provided over 18 weeks of afterschool progamming at Kool Skool. The bottom line is that none of the above, and the hundreds of other gifts too numerous to mention here, could have been done without the support of an amazing group of determined individuals and generous volunteers.
As a an outgoing and very proud president of the Phoenicia PTA, I would like to thank the Executive PTA Board, who worked tirelessly in so many ways on behalf of our children and community --Karen Howenstein, Kathleen Wilber, Carolyn Mow, Cathy Neal, Ann McGillicuddy and school secretary Sheila Jensen. It was a dream team if there ever was one!
And lastly, I also want to thank the whole voting community who "go it" and came out to vote in record numbers in May's Board and Budget vote producing a landslide victory for a valuable cause.
Christina Himberger
Boiceville, NY

Dear Editor,
I recently found out from school that our dearly loved Physical Education teacher, Ms. Rothe will possibly be leaving Bennett but NOT voluntarily.
It has been said that with the Phoenicia school's phys. ed. teacher, Michael Gallagher, retiring this year, that they need to fill a spot. It was reported that a phys. ed. teacher at the High School by the name of Mr. Burkhardt would possibly replace him, but that Phoenicia does not want him. Therefore they came apparently knocking on Bennett's door. Not sure why Phoenicia does not want Mr. Burkhardt as I do not know anything about his history, but it certainly raised a red flag in my eyes. It couldn't of been because he was a male as Mickey Gallagher - someone I know personally - was so loved in the whole school district. Here at Bennett, our parents thoroughly enjoy having both a male and female role model as they offer a great balance for our children. Mr. Ahouse, the other Physical Education teacher in Bennett, shares his time between Bennett and Woodstock Elementary schools.
It seems that a lot of parents are upset by this and are writing letters, me included. My three boys were very upset by this news too and wrote letters to Mr. Buono, their principal asking him to please not let Ms. Rothe go.
With Bennett losing so many teachers and aids this year due to retirement, we are headed for major changes. These changes are voluntarily of course, but losing Ms. Rothe is NOT a voluntary move.
My understanding is that she does not wish to leave Bennett as she has been there for 13+ years and has worked so close with all the kids. I know many parents and children are heartbroken and the fact that we just learn this news 4 days before the end of the school year is working at a disadvantage to us.
I am writing to you all, since you serve the Onteora School District and Olive has Bennett in it's community, that you PLEASE look into this matter....as reporters your goal is to get facts and information so the public is aware of what's going on in their neck of the woods. I do hope that more parents as they become informed will help make a difference by NOT letting Ms. Rothe, a true treasure at Bennett go!!!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!
Karen Wemple-Estes
Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
The article "The child safety zone Proposition #4" published in the Onteora Budget Edition 2008, described the safety problem of students walking to school in Boiceville. According to the article the actual regulation does not provide transportation to students living half a mile from school. The article recalls "the accident history of route 28", the number of cars passing during in/out school (300) and the speed limit going up to 55 mile per hour.
So here we have a classic problem of a road design that does not work. Let me share what I learned in my first year of urban planning : A straight road with high visibility will give the driver the message that speed is possible, safe, despite any regulatory signs. That is what is done, successfully on higways. Here we are crossing a village, with schools. With this configuration we are basically turning our kids (and any pedestrians) into moving targets. How many more deaths are necessary before the road gets redesigned?
Many towns in Europe have adopted a simple yet efficient design that diverts the car in and out forcing the driver to slow down, it also provides "landscaping" (visual enhancement- shade for pedestrians) and provides safe pedestrian access.
It is very hard nowadays in France for example to find a "highway type" straight road crossing a village. No municipalities, districts want to be responsible for the death of their inhabitants. So I thought the logic of the article will lead toward problem solving, long term and for all the community. On the contrary, the proposition is to add traffic. Let's have more buses, more pollution, more money used for transportation. There is a national movement in urban design for the last few years that tries to bring the sideawalk back to the villages and especially to schools. As a matter of fact you can actually read the editorial of last month 'Landscape Architecture Magazine" about getting our kids back to walk to school. There is also a beneficial health factor to the daily walk that is recognized universally.
What concerns me even more is that not only is the onteora high school/bennet school not safe for the kids now in school, but the proposition under the name of consolidation will bring more students to the area, rising traffic (vehicles and pedestrian) to this already deadly place. I have not seen any improvement design proposed by KSQ Architects, nor any concerns raised by the Board of Education then in charge. For a project this important (creation of a middle school-closure of other schools) I was surprised to learn that no urban planner nor landscape architect were involved, nowdays educated client ask such services to be provided.
This is a missed opportunity to remove a known danger and make a better place for all to live more safely.
Karine Duteil
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
Most of us have said at one time or another, I cannot believe it. I cannot believe what the Onteora’s School District voters did on May 20, 2008 when they choose not to reelect the three incumbents. What did they do to justify not being reelected? Was it that voters didn’t understand the facts or did they believe all the rhetoric of the four candidates that got elected? Maybe it was the unheard of zero % tax levy increase without cutting any programs that they didn’t like. That doesn’t sound like it would be, but in this district you never know.
It took just seven hours to throw out three truly dedicated school board members that worked so hard with the school’s administrators, Superintendents Ford’s volunteer advisory committee and the paid consultants. Some of the same voters that voted for the new board members were very happy to accept the budget that gave them the zero % tax levy increase, but still seen fit to not reelect the incumbents. Not reelecting the incumbents and thinking about the zero % tax levy increase for this year, not knowing what kind of tax increase the new broad will hand us next year was like cutting off the hand that feeds you.
Some, maybe all, of what the board and school administrator accomplished in the past three years could go down the drain. That includes the untold hours of meetings by the board, school administrators and all the work that the volunteer Advisory Committee did for the district. Then there’s the $30,000.00 of tax payers money that the consultants got paid that will also be wasted if their recommendations aren’t used. Considering the financial state that this country and our area are in we don’t need to waste $30,000.00 of tax payer’s money. I trust that district voters would agree.
The new board will not close the Phoenicia School and that will cost tax payers of the district $2,300.000.00 annually. Closing the school was a significant part of the plan because it would have saved $2,300.000.00 ever year and would have also allowed the most State Aid if the boards plan was adopted. The $2,300.000.00 saving was money that would not have to be spent for salaries, benefits, fuel and electricity. Closing the school would have also saved even more money because of personal natural attrition.
When the four candidates were running around town campaigning, did they tell you that closing the Phoenicia School would save the district $2,300.000.00 every year and that the $30,000.00 of tax payer’s money that the district paid the consultants would be wasted if their recommendations wasn’t used. Maybe they also forgot to mention what they are going to do about the declining student population. The declining student population is important because we have the highest cost be student in Ulster County and predictions are that in not too many years if something isn’t done to reduce that cost the cost per student will raise to $42,000.00 per student making it almost impossible for district tax payers to support that kind of increase.
In a recent letter to the Editor Donna Flayhan, Ralph Legnini, Ann McGillicuddy and Laurie Osmond said, it has been our pleasure to get to know you, and is our pleasure now to serve you. To accomplish all that the 2005 / 2008 school board members did that includes the zero % tax levy increase it’s fair to say that the four new trustees will face a challenge on their hands that goes far beyond what they could ever imagine. Tax payers of the district should pay very close attention to what the new board will be doing especially during next year’s budget process. I don’t know what they’re going to serve us, but it could be extremely hard on our pocket books. Down the road tax payers that threw out Mary Jane Bernholz, Cindy O’Connor and Rita Vanacore may wish that they voted differently when they see their 2009 tax bill.
William Warnecke
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
Who will speak for the interests of the American people and our Mother Earth? Certainly not George W. Bush Jr. or his appointed Supreme Court. This court decision illustrates who controls and owns our the highest court in the land and that is the Exxon-Mobile Corporation. Only a fool would believe this a fair decision.
The punitive damages originally awarded in Brown people felt then it was not enough set by the Federal District Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals. Now it is worse the U.S. Supreme Court has turned the insult of insensitivity by Exxon to those who lost everything into a travesty of historic proportions. The Court in a 5-3 decision has reversed the lower court's decision limiting damages to what the corporation has already paid .when it comes for the shameful act of aggression on the people not only of Alaska but the entire nation and world by the gross negligence of Exxon-Mobile.
It shows only illustrates that the majority of jurists certainly are reflecting their own narrow class interests of siding against the people and Mother Earth in this one decision that has all the big business corporations and their Chamber of Commerce pundits declaring victory for capitalism. Yes to the all mighty oil greedy monopoly! Amen.
Still to this day the greatest environmental disaster is being felt socially, economically and culturally on the local native people, the Eco system, the shorelines and the entire planet itself. In an age of global warming, massive pollution of fossil fuel run-off the possibility of mass extinctions, the loss forever of species soaked in Exxon goop- Where is Smokey the Bear when we need him? That is right he passed away but his shovel is still there leaning against the old wood shed and its being picked up by another generation of Americans bent on restoring their country along the path of sensible rational energy use and ending the careless quest of profits for a few.
Mobile crude with its massive global trillion dollar profits can only speak oil maggot. Exxon mobile is seeking to cover the planet with it dark rich crude throughout the world. We can see why we need to vote for Change we also must organize massively to keep the movement for change going. No one person can do this! Only the strength of the democratic traditions of free assembly with each of us taking the responsibility to keep the ball of change rolling until these five jurists find themselves judged by being brought before the people I hope to see the day when these jurists are standing in the dock with the all the war criminals of the military-industrial-complex and the Board of Directors for their crimes against humanity and our Mother Earth. These same jurists overturned the 2000 popular vote and made George W. Bush the imperial king oil lizard he has become. Down with them all this fall elect the Democrats and if they brake elect the Socialists and should they fail give it to the anarchist because chaos is even better than this..
Tom Siblo
Saugerties, NY

Dear Editor,
In the past seven years, we have lost 3.3 million manufacturing jobs. We have higher unemployment, more Americans without health insurance, and a record number of home foreclosures.
Median family income is down $1200 and purchasing power is down $4500. Prices are skyrocketing for everything from gas to food.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans set an all-time record for the most filibusters in one Congress, when they blocked a Democratic efforts to tax the oil companies’ windfall profits.
Every important issue, from getting our troops out of Iraq to global climate change and health care goes through the Senate. On virtually every issue, Republicans have obstructed the Democratic agenda and stood in the way of progress.
Allegedly, Senator John McCain is desperate to distance himself from Bush, but in the past year, he has voted with Bush 95% of the time. According to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, McCain has received millions in donations from the same oil, coal, nuclear, chemical, utility, and auto companies that helped the Bush administration create its energy plan, which has resulted in gasoline selling for over $4.25 a gallon in Delhi.
We are in the midst of a recession, which in part is due to our crippling dependence on oil. The Center for Responsive Politics reports that McCain has accepted over $1 million from the oil and gas
industry and many of McCain’s top advisers have lobbied for big oil. It’s not surprising that he opposes, Obama’s alternative energy plans.
Bush’s tax cuts are central to McCain’s economic policy and he’s calling for tax giveaways, which are twice as expensive as Bush’s initial plan. His policy will spend nearly $2 trillion on tax breaks
for corporations, including $1.2 billion for Exxon, a company that just recorded the highest profits in history.
Jim O'Leary
Delhi, NY

Dear Editor,
After reading the Thursday June 12 Daily Freeman article by-lined by Mid-Hudson News Network, “Exec Candidates Tout Tourism,” I found it very ironic that Michael Hein commented that “tourism is the backbone of the County’s economy and that a well-run tourism operation would generate sufficient sales tax revenue to pay for itself.”
Hein has previously stated that the County relies heavily on sales and property taxes to balance budgets, yet he does not agree on tourism related taxes, won’t repeal the current two percent charge for room tax and would be in favor of cushioning the Tourism Budget with proceeds from the bed tax.
This coming from the same individual, who in 2006, was the mastermind behind eliminating two key positions and not filling a Deputy position in the Tourism Department to save taxpayer dollars. His plan, however, back-fired when the tourism businesses and employees that would have been affected by the cuts, came to defend the Tourism Department at the Public Hearing on the proposed County Budget Wednesday, November 1, 2006. Eventually, through some creativity, they were able to realign budget lines to save the two employees. The Deputy Director position was ultimately abolished. Now, please explain how a well-run tourism operation is expected to function with almost no staff?
One would have to question what Hein actually knows about the importance of tourism if he was sacrificing the ability of the Tourism Department to perform and exist as it was intended with limited staffing. Had he bothered to do his homework, he would have found that tourism in the Hudson Valley (in 2005) generated $184 million in local taxes; visitor-driven expenditures accounted for over $5.7 billion and $167 million was realized in State taxes. Tourism in the Catskills generated over $51 million in local taxes; visitor-driven expenditures accounted for $1.6 billion and more than $46 million was realized in State taxes. (Figures obtained from http://destinationdutchess.com).
Did he also know that in 2006 tourism in Ulster County was responsible for 10,000 tourism jobs, $52 million was generated in State and local tax revenue and visitor-driven expenditures accounted for $960 million. (Figures obtained from www. hotel-online.com).
Mr. Hein will say whatever he believes his audience wants to hear. Fact is, he says a lot about issues he knows very little about. Voters beware!!
(I am a 27-year employee in Ulster County Tourism/Public Information Office)
Ellen DiFalco
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
We New Yorkers really have a very outstanding Governor. Our Governor Paterson must be amazingly capable to have been able to achieve so much so well in spite of the handicap of blindness. He must have an extremely keen mind and an extraordinary drive to overcome a disability which would be hard to cope with in a far less demanding role in life. Would it not be great if our news contained more of the positive aspects of life and spent time repeating at times the "good stuff" instead of highlighting and repeating the "bad stuff"? Some other "good stuff" is the successful first day of our Wednesday market and the way the Karmapa's visit went off. That fabulous rainbow was telling us something.
There is one thing for sure though, regardless of what kind of news one likes hearing: Distortion of facts and downright lies being published or broadcast is intolerable. Having a U.S. Congressman aver that a law to increase revenue Oil Companies were paying for the extraction of oil was done for the purpose of lowering the cost of gasoline, was a downright lie. The law was for the purpose of getting an equitable payment for oil taken from our country's resources at a great profit in order to provide much needed income for the nation. Of course no one suggested it would lower the price of gasoline. What a Goofy Outrageous Pronouncement! Yes, a member of the Grand Old Party accused the Democratic party of trying to "Lower the price of gasoline" and blocked the bill.
Mescal Hornbeck
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
"No exercise is better for the human heart than reaching down to lift up another."- Tim Russert
"You're not strong by putting other people down. You're strong by lifting other people up" - Barack Obama
We each need to find a way to explain this to those that are living in fear that is creating the very thing that they are afraid of.
Come On. We can do it.
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
War Veterans
There is honor in a soldier;
You hear it when he talks.
There is discipline in a Soldier;
You can see it when he walks.
There is courage in a Soldier;
You can see it in his eyes.
There is bravery in a Soldier;
You know it when he dies.
There is something in a Soldier
That makes him stand apart.
There is strength in a Soldier
That beats from his heart.
A Soldier's job isn't finished
After a 40-hour week.
A Soldier is always a Soldier,
Even when he sleeps.
A Soldier serves his country first,
And his life is left behind.
It's fighting for his country
That is always on his mind.
A Soldier is the reason
Our nation is "Home of the free".
It's his loyalty and dedication protecting
The flag waving over you and me.
Aiden Jacobsen
Olivebridge, NY
Editor’s Note: The author is moving next September from 8th to 9th grade at Onteora.

Dear Editor,
The Domestic Violence Shelter has a resident in need of art supplies. This young woman was a college art student who became involved with an abusive partner. She had to leave her studies due to the abuse. In her difficult circumstances she gave away her portfolio thinking she could never pursue her art again. With the help of Family of Woodstock this woman and her young child have found housing and are rebuilding their lives. One of her long term goals is to return to art school and get her BA. To do this she must rebuild her portfolio. She is need of all basic art supplies (which need not be new) including but not limited to:
Paper (all sizes and weight), Pencils (varying hardness), Paint, Brushes, Canvas, Charcoal, Conte crayons, and Pastels.
Her original focus of study was metal sculpture. This of course would be difficult for her to do outside of school or studio space, however if anyone had any resources for her she’d be thrilled I’m sure.
The Shelter is also preparing to do ongoing art groups with all residents in an effort to reduce the effects of the trauma our residents have experienced. Our facilitators will be needing art supplies of all types as well. We can put any new or used supplies to good use.
Please call Colleen Geraghty, 845-256-9233 or Kathy Moretti , Program Director - at 331-7080 ext.127
Darmstadt Shelter
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
The Phoenicia Rotary Club would like to update you on what we have been doing the past year for our community. Let’s start with our youth, since they are our future…
We are sponsoring a local exchange student who will be leaving for Taiwan on August 21, 2008. Although her request was for France, she is extremely excited about the trip and looking forward to the experience.
· We sponsored and hosted a 12th grade Rotary exchange student from Brazil during the 2007 - 2008 school year.
· We have awarded two scholarships to Onteora’s 2008 graduates: one four-year scholarship consisting of $400 each year, and a one time award for a graduate attending a vocational school for the amount of $250.
· We have donated $100 to the Belleayre Bash.
· We have donated $125 to a student towards the Habitat for Humanity
· We have donated $125 to two students towards their DECA competitions in Georgia.
· We have donated $125 to a student who attended the Harvard Model Congress.
· We have donated $300 to a student who has been invited to attend the upcoming 2009 Presidential Inauguration.
· We have donated $1000 to our local Boy Scout Troop 60 for their Super Venture this July
For the local communities:
We performed our semi-annual Route 214 road clean-up and repainted the village fire bell on May 29th.
· We are regular financial sponsors to the local food pantry.
· We donated $500 to the Phoenicia Library
· We donated $100 to the Sharp Committee towards the flowers on Main Street
· We purchased and delivered 3 picnic tables to the Big Indian Park
· We performed spring clean-up and planted flowers at the Eagle
· Many yummy donations were donated by Rotarians to the Phoenicia Library for their annual event
· Approximately $3,000 was donated to the Shandaken Fire District to purchase supplies to offer CPR classes for the public at a reasonable cost.
· Financial and volunteer physical assistance given to support the Onteora Life Skills/Deca’s ‘Senior Citizen’s Prom’.
· Rotary helped fund the Onteora Ski Team awards
· Sponsoring 3 port –a- potties to be located behind the Country Store and the Phoenicia Pharmacy during the summer months
In addition the Phoenicia Rotary is a member of and supports Rotary International. As active participants we support communities in need and causes worldwide. These include such causes as clean water, Shelter Box temporary dwellings, Rotary Foundation, and polio eradication.
You will see us soon on Main Street selling duck tickets for our 19th annual Crazy Quacker Race. The date has been moved up to warmer weather; July 13th, and the new, safer location has officially changed to the Stony Clove Creek which is adjacent to the Simpson Mini-park. Also keep an eye out for our annual $125 Night tickets. The party is September 5th, and a good time is had by all. Tickets are available from all Rotarians and at Al’s Restaurant.
Please continue to support the Phoenicia Rotary Club so that we may continue with our good works for our local communities.
If you are interested in finding out more about Rotary, or joining us at a Rotary meeting, please contact Chris at 688-7319 to find out the date and location of our next meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Phoenicia Rotary Club