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Follow Up on the
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Track
Coach D
The 56 year-old Boms has run a track program for 27 years
which some have characterized as the "best in the county."
His record boasts over 200 victories. When you gaze at the
trophies and plaques in the high school hallway, you’ll
see a tally of twelve championships since he took over the
program from Coach Joseph Ahouse in 1984 (after serving as
assistant coach since 1979.) There’s almost as many
second place finishes honored on the walls and only once in
all of those years has his track team finished below third
place in the 16 team Mid-Hudson Athletic League.
After Onteora’s clinch of the MHL championship last
year, the third in the last five years- to go along with consecutive
Section 9 championships in the past two years, Boms’
peers in the league voted him Coach of the Year.
. "Well, we want to go in a different direction,"
Boms recalls Assistant Principal Gabriel Buono telling him
last week. "A different direction? What does he want
to change? He told me ‘Don’t take it personally.
You’ve done nothing wrong. You’re not being fired.
We’re just not reappointing you.’ It’s a
formality at Onteora that you reapply for the position every
year. I’ve done that for 27 years and I’ve been
the only applicant."
Boms recalls that in December, when he turned his budget request
for next season over to the athletic director with notification
that he wanted to coach again next year, Kocher mentioned
that should there be a second applicant, Boms would have to
go through an interview process. He thought that odd coming
from an administration which knew him so well but it wasn’t
until he played his phone messages on February 7th that the
significance of that remark registered fully.
The brief, strange message from Gabriel Buono, which Boms
saved, said that the assistant principal had consulted with
the athletic director and that they had "decided to go
with Joe Cahill and build his resume. Sorry it didn’t
work out for you."
"It’s mind-boggling to me that, after 28 years
at Onteora, you can’t say ‘Mike, give me a call.
I need to talk to you about something’, " Boms
said. "And the timing of this, with a new superintendent,
who doesn’t know me, coming in from California, is a
bit too convenient. I made an appointment to see (Superintendent)
Lesley Ford on the 20th of February. There’s a school
board meeting at the high school that night and I’ve
requested to speak to the board."
Boms indicated that the school board members he had called
each expressed shock at the decision not to renew him in his
coaching position but it could scarcely have equaled the surprise
and dismay of the students consulted for this report.
"All of the kids that were on track last year are very
upset," said one of the students organizing a protest
for the meeting. "We love and respect Coach Boms as a
teacher and as a coach. All of the kids that have heard about
this, even the ones not on the team, want to go to the board
meeting to be heard."
"I obviously know all of the political things that go
on but I’m not in a position to go on record,"
said an informed source at the school. "But the process
is that all of the coaching positions are posted to the public
and school employees typically get the first shot. Past precedent
is that existing coaches have consideration of first choice
to return to their position and you would assume that Mike,
with 28 years, would have that privilege. The date for closing
that position is February 16th and I don’t understand
how you can hire somebody prior to that day without interviewing
the candidates. It’s a sticky situation and a lot of
people aren’t very happy about it."
"I was promised an interview if there’s another
applicant, yet I was dismissed without an interview,"
said Boms, who teaches biology at SUNY New Paltz and Mount
St. Mary’s College in Newburgh, where he turned down
afternoon teaching positions for next year because he expected
to be coaching at Onteora. Having taught science, chemistry
and biology at the local high school until June of last year-
when he accepted a retirement incentive offer- Boms was also
active in Onteora’s student government program, yearbook
organization and running the A+ Technology course in computer
repair- a class which he started himself and which includes
certifying graduates through official channels in Albany.
Along with coaching track (and for varying stretches, football,
field hockey, weigh lifting and modified girls’ basketball),
his typical day at Onteora started at 7:30 am and ended around
6 pm. Still, he said the incentive package was the only reason
he retired.
Students talked about how they remembered that Boms calmed
their concerns when he left teaching last year by promising
to return as their coach. With those assurances looking doubtful
for next season, the coach has the kind of feeling you get
going up a flight of stairs in the dark and expecting another
step to be there which isn’t.
When reached, Mike Kocher said that he was "not at liberty
to make any comment" and referred all inquiries to Dr.
Ford. Caught at end of a long meeting during her first day
as Onteora Superintendent, Lesley Ford could not confirm that
the Boms matter was on the agenda for the school board meeting
but indicated that all personnel issues were confidential
and would not be publicly discussed. Neither Onteora Principal
Barbara Rubin nor Assistant Principal Gabriel Buono returned
calls but Joseph Cahill, the heir apparent of the coaching
position, did say he didn’t think the change-over would
include any cutbacks to the athletic program.
Cahill, who is in his first year of teaching physical education
at Kingston High School and looks forward to his second year
as Boms’ assistant coach in the 2007 Spring track season,
has been running track himself in high school and college
for the past 9 years of his life and earnestly comments; "It’s
something that I love."
Despite the fact that Cahill’s uncle is a NYS Assemblyman
and the related suspicions which the tape’s comment
about “building Joe’s resume” have stirred
in some, Boms sees Cahill as “not involved” in
the abrupt ending of his career as head coach beyond his being
“caught in some kind of power play” which is not
his own device. Boms said Joe is “kind of flabbergasted
about what’s going on, too” and felt that Cahill
had been pressured into applying for the head coaching position
at Onteora. But beyond that, Boms, like others, remains mystified
as to what lies at the root of the decision.
As for Joe Cahill, after saying that the hiring was "out
of (his) hands" and that he would not comment on it,
he ventured that, in his own view, Boms was "pretty darn
successful" as a coach and that they had worked well
together last year.
"I know the kids are going to miss him," Cahill
said.
A
Vote For Free Money...
It was added that
the Onteora district, which welcomed new superintendent Leslie
Ford from California this past week, will lose the state aid
if it is not approved.
The money is allocated for replacing the boiler at Woodstock
elementary school and renovating the high school auditorium.
A portion of the total cost, $662,711 will come out of EXCEL
aid (Expanding our Children’s Education and Learning)
and capital reserve funds will cover the other $1, 200,000.
Over the past several years, the school board has been trying
to find a way to renovate the high school auditorium with
broken seats and antiquated stage rigging. School board president
Marino D’Orazio explained that safety dictates the boiler
replacement.
“At the Woodstock school we have been informed by both
the facilities committee and Buildings and Grounds Manager
Jimmy O’Neil that they are in danger of failing and
we need to deal with them one way or another,” he noted.
Trustee Maxanne Resnick explained why the vote had to take
place earlier than the May 15 budget vote.
“The timing of it is important to everyone that in order
to replace the Woodstock boilers in a timely manner,”
she said. “For next year’s heating season we really
had to do this as a March vote and could not wait much later.”
Also, the EXCEL aid would expire soon and cannot carry over
into the next school year. It must have an expense in place
to qualify for reimbursal.
Trustee Mary Jane Bernholz added, “This is actually
a loss in revenue to the district if the voters don’t
approve it.”
“Absolutely, we are going to throw $662,711 out the
window if we don’t approve it,” interim superintendent
Jack Jordan agreed, explaining that EXCEL aid has never been
turned down by other district voters and hoped Onteora would
not be the first to refuse it.
“This has nothing to do with the large capital improvement
project which we are in the process of trying to define and
discuss and the next effort in that is March third,”
further explained D’Orazio.
In other recent business, Jordan was given a farewell party
with much praise and appreciation from the school board. February
6 was his last school board meeting, although he intends to
stay and help out incoming superintendent Dr. Leslie Ford
for a while after her arrival on February 12.
D’Orazio thanked Jordan on behalf of the school board,
noting that an interim position can be difficult.
“He didn’t just come in here and warm up the seat,
he did not do that. He came in and took on all the chores
and all the responsibilities of a superintendent and he did
it with a lot of energy and honesty,” said D’Orazio.
Trustee Herb Rosenfeld sang high praise of Jordan.
“You were able to operate as if you had been here for
years,” he said. “I think it is just amazing,
and it says a tremendous amount about your professionalism
and we have been very fortunate.”
Jordan gave credit to his wife, a long time employee of the
district now retired, and also to district superintendent’s
secretary Jeanne Shultis.
“I would like to thank everyone for having the opportunity
to work with, you are a very conscientious school board,”
Jordan said. “I have come to learn that you care, you
do an excellent job and I hope the community appreciates how
much time and effort that you put into what you do.”
Assistant Superintendent for Business Victoria McLaren gave
a budget presentation on the Athletic and Food service departments.
The proposed athletic budget for 2007-2008 is $408,538, or
a 4.02 percent increase from the prior year. McLaren said
that the increase was due in large part to contractual salary
agreements and needed equipment. Weight room equipment, baseball
pitching machine, a scoreboard for the old gym and a pole
vault mat cover are a part of needed supplies.
Trustee Cindy O’Connor also asked for an additional
expense of approximately $5000 to purchase a video camera
and “mix matched jerseys” for the football team.
“They are trying to build up their varsity team and
that would be very helpful for them,” said O’Connor.
There are currently 43 athletic teams at Onteora, with approximately
1/3 of middle school through high school students who participate
in fall and spring sports and about 1/2 participate in winter
sports.
The food service department proposed a $1,029,545 for the
2007-2008 school year, a 2.70 percent increase. The increase
once again primarily comes from employee benefits. Also some
kitchen equipment must be replaced and a computerized payment
system was proposed for Woodstock elementary school. This
will be the same system that the high school converted to,
eventually expanding to all the schools in the district.
The district serves approximately 169,263 meals annually,
186 breakfasts and 770 lunches are served daily.
Trustee Dave Patterson requested that he would like to see
an addition line item to the budget process. He said he would
like to see “a two-to-three year comparative on what
the budget was and what the actual audited amount was, by
line item.”
Patterson said he wants the board to budget with what they
are actually spending and not a certain percentage “thrown
on each year.”
Jordan warned Patterson that the budget process must have
flexibility.
“You need to keep it planted firmly in your mind, the
expenditures you do not see because you don’t know what
to expect in the course of the year,” Jordan explained,
noting how unexpected costs can creep in. “You certainly
don’t want to get a zero based budget. Just look at
where we went with special ed last year…”
He added that money that does not get spent returns to the
taxpayers the following year and if the district comes up
short in funds, loans have a very high interest rate.
On Saturday, March 3 the school board will be holding an all
day presentation on the capital improvement proposals and
consolidation ideas. Located at the high school, the public
and town representatives are encouraged to attend. This will
also be an opportunity to meet the new superintendent.
Bonacic
Talks About His
New Power
At this past Monday’s Ulster County Chamber of Commerce
breakfast at the Kingston Holiday Inn, Bonacic gave an address
heavy on praise for Spitzer, a Democrat who, rumors had it,
was thinking about offering the Orange County Republican a
post in his administration.
Yet asked whether he would leave his Senate post, which he
faced the toughest challenge of his 17 year legislative career
to hold on to last autumn, Bonacic replied matter-of-factly
that he liked the newfound power he had, protecting (and ultimately
riding) his party’s two-vote majority… which he
talked about repeatedly as a key to the sorts of governmental
“checks and balances” that protect Upstate interests
from New York City’s huge control over Albany.
The assembled media – more than at last month’s
breakfast featuring U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey –
muttered disbelief at Bonacic’s answers to their questions.
Why hadn’t he addressed their concerns in his speech
to those he had just spoken to, assuring them he was their
senator and set to stay so.
Partly, that may have been because his audience had a heavier
sprinkling of not-for-profit organizational employees in it
than politicians. More small business owners than usual.
Then again, his Democratic challenger from November, County
Legislator Susan Zimet, was busy working the room as Bonacic
eyed her movements before his speech. And she had taken Ulster
from him, while losing the larger race.
“It’s Gunga Din,” said the Senator’s
aide and counsel, Langdon Chapman, to the side before Bonacic’s
talk. He was referring to the Kipling poem and classic 30s
film about a water carrier who helps save the day for the
British in their fight against infidels.
Chapman added how his boss had always been independent, but
was “never more pivotal, with more power, than now.”
“We have a new sheriff in town, he’s called Governor
Spitzer,” Bonacic started off his speech, repeating
a line he’d been using for a couple of months already.
He talked about how in business, a new CEO likes to change
the way things are done. “If you can’t meet the
expectations, watch out.”
He spoke about how impressed he was with the Governor, with
whom he’d just had a widely publicized hour long closed
door session that Chapman characterized as something “the
Senator is keeping to himself.”
“He’s very intelligent, a man of substance,”
the Republican said of Spitzer. “He’s got vision
and he’s very courageous… He’s taken on
the leadership in the Assembly, in the Senate, and he’s
taken on Mayor Bloomberg of New York. I applaud his boldness…”
Yet Bonacic also noted that the key to governance, especially
from the Governor’s seat, is compromise.
“In government you need partners,” he repeated
at several points. “It’s the governor’s
style not to negotiate, a ‘take no prisoners’
approach. All that will happen with that is gridlock.”
Obviously relishing the inside process of politics at work
as his key subject, Bonacic was quick with the prognoses and
observations, outlining his own current position obliquely
at the same time.
“The (Democrat) minority in the Senate is at his hip,
meaning there will be no override of his vetoes,” Bonacic
explained. “The legislature is afraid of his vetoes.
These are very interesting times and from what I’ve
seen so far, I like what I see.”
The Senator noted how he was for all the elements of reform
Spitzer had won his large electoral margins fighting for.
He then addressed the concerns he says he’d heard about
repeatedly from his own constituents, such as education, affordable
health care, jobs, property taxes, and affordable housing.
He said his favorite “R” word was “Results.”
Bonacic’s speech lost its original drive as he jumped
from topic to topic, repeatedly noting about various issues,
“this is a good thing,” as if checking down a
list.
He spoke about the need for structural changes in the way
education was funded through property taxes while noting the
political obstacles change would have to overcome based on
New York City’s inability to see the issue as important,
it being largely a city of renters.
He made a stab at the second home, tax exempt and larger business
communities as being basically okay to tax.
“How do we get traction,” he asked. “We
have a governor who recognizes that we need property tax reform.”
In terms of jobs, he noted how state-owned Belleayre Ski Resort,
for which he’s helped procure expansion monies, was
“doing well” and spoke of all the talk about handing
Stewart Airport over to Port Authority as something that “could
be a real sleeper for all of us.” Meaning “that’s
a good thing.”
Then, shifting gears guilelessly, Bonacic slammed the local
business community, albeit with the gloves on.
"I've watched Ulster County for six years. There's a
malaise here, the Senator said. "Greene and Orange counties
are taking off. Sullivan has a heartbeat. Dutchess has IBM.
Albany has nanotechnology but we’re are not keeping
up.”
Bonacic suggested the county leadership start pushing for
a $300 million neon plant the state’s looking to site
somewhere in the Hudson Valley. He suggested setting up shovel-ready
business draws like other counties. He suggested that Ulster
was sending out messages that they weren’t business
friendly.
“I’m not here to chastise everyone but I’m
looking at counties around Ulster and they’re doing
better,” he said. “You saved the ridge; I think
that was a good thing. Open Space: a good thing. But we need
a balance, we need ratables.”
Without explanation, the senator slipped into talk of what
draws big business and suggested that all of Ulster County’s
environmentalist actions might be pushing its middle class
away. He talked about people, and counties, getting naught
but one bit at the apple of, everyone supposed, big time success,
long-term prosperity.
“I think I’m almost done… in more ways than
one,” Bonacic joked as he rushed through statements
about education, healthcare and other topics. “I have
a tight schedule today. I’m really tight today.”
He spoke about casinos and how “They’re not going
to happen in Ulster County,” subsequently noting Sp\iutzer’s
support for at least one in neighboring Sullivan County, which
would still have local ramifications for the Route 209 corridor.
To battle that, the senator said, he was hoping to help push
through legislation ensuring gambling proceeds for local aid.
He said he was all for a new commission on the state prison
system, but against closing any such institutions in Ulster
County.
He suggested that the Governor was for helping small businesses,
but needed direct support to counter anti-business moves in
the Democrat-controlled Assembly.
“You preach to the choir when you come to me. Go to
the governor,” Bonacic said, repeating the morning’s
sense of political process over all, of an exegesis on the
use of power.
“I think the governor at some point will have to change
his temperament,” he concluded, before taking questions.
“Right now he’s pushing the envelope.”
When someone later asked about so-called Member Items, the
allocations given to individual legislators for use in their
districts commonly called “pork” by many in the
media – and under attack by new Attorney General Andrew
Cuomo in recent weeks -- Bonacic became defensive. He spoke
about the $2 million he passes out annually in his sprawling
district, and noted how quite a few in attendance had helped
their organizations with such funds, or were looking for new
monies from the same.
“I look around this room I see ARC, I see fire companies,
I see libraries, I see police, I see EMTs,” the senator
said. “I don’t hide anything. How many not for
profits do we have in this room this morning that need help?
Member items are generally good. But they have to be line
itemed, One bite at the apple… that’s a good thing.”
Asked if the county had its collective head ion the sand,
Bonacic said he’d like to get together with Chamber
of Commerce president Ward Todd and others to discuss smart
growth planning. He said ratables needed to be improved, once
more, and repeated his “one bit at the apple”
line.
“You have to proceed, you have to move forward,”
Bonacic said.
So what about the power politics in Albany and his battles
with Bruno, his courtship by the Governor, who seems to have
been weakening the Republican majority in the state Senate
through bipartisan appointments?
Bonacic seemed to perk up again, grow wily and sharp-tongued
in his quick answer.
“My life has changed this year because my counsel tastes
my food before I can eat it,” he quipped. “But
really, it’s not about relationships, it’s all
about doing what’s right.”
The veteran politician seemed to measure his words as they
landed around the room.
“In our business if you attack the king he’s going
to try and kill you. It’s not really Republicans versus
Democrats. The fights are regional,” he said, speaking
from an inner knowledge of his battlefield of the last two
decades now. “We need checks and balances. If we lose
the senate, New York City will rule the state.”
And himself in all this?
“I haven’t been punished and I don’t expect
to be punished,” he said of his move to oust Bruno,
and his more recent siding with Spitzer against the legislative
majority’s vote for one of their own as the new state
comptroller. “If we can’t speak freely we’re
in the wrong country, in the wrong state… This is the
people’s agenda.”
In other words, John Bonacic had the power – for now
at least. And he relished knowing he had that power.
Planners
Settling In Now
According to all reports, matters got off to a
comparatively placid start, considering the tumult that
accompanied the mass resignation of the old planning board
in January.
“ It went pretty good,” said Drew Boggess,
who has been appointed chairman of the new board. He said
he and his fellow board members were eased into their
new jobs. “We just took care of a couple line changes,”
he said. “I think we did OK.”
Boggess went on to say that, when it came to matters of
town planning, “There’s a lot more to it than
I ever knew.”
“I’m hoping that we don’t have to deal
with anything too large until we’re all up to speed,”
he said.
Getting up to speed includes a certain amount of state-mandated
training – the need for which, according to at least
one member of the Town Board, was a factor in the non-reinstatement
of former planning board member Paula Minew, and the subsequent
resignation of her colleagues. This training, provided
by the Pace University of Law, can be had through Online
courses, and is necessary to the achievement of planning
board certification.
Mr. Boggess said that he had completed his Pace training,
but, he said, “I don’t know about the rest
of the board members.”
David Jones, another new member of the planning board,
shares Bogges’ hopeful (if not precisely exuberant)
attitude regarding their first meeting.
“It went all right,” Jones said, adding, “Everybody’s
got a lot to learn.”
“It’s unfortunate what happened,” he
continued, speaking of the former planning board’s
acrimonious dissolution, “But somebody’s got
to pick up the ball. I think it’ll work.”
Henry Rank, a town councilman who was present Tuesday
evening, agreed that – despite all the controversy
preceding the appointment of the new board – the
first meeting went “pretty good.”
“They went through, organized, appointed a chairman,
a vice-chairman, and a secretary,” he said.
Although it seems that many of the new members were relative
strangers before Tuesday’s meeting, it is clear
that they were brought together by a shared motivation
to be of service to their community.
Mr. Boggess said that he was asked personally by Supervisor
Bert Leifeld to join the new board. Jones’, however,
stepped up entirely of his own accord, when he heard that
volunteers were needed.
“I just walked into Bert’s office and asked
to be appointed,” Jones said. “I wanted to
be in the public service – to do something good.”
Councilwoman Linda Burkhardt, for one, is glad of it.
“We’re wonderfully fortunate that busy people
with [professional] lives are willing to step forward
and volunteer their time,” she beamed.
A
Jar Of Olives
Hearts,
Flowers & Presidents
Why This Time Of Year Is What It Is
Gift giving is an art. Hallmark and malls
make it easy to shop; however, it is the thought
that counts. Memorable gifts are bonds between
giver and getter. I once went to a birthday
party for a very rich young woman. I agonized
about whether I had spent enough or found
the trendy gift that would make her “Ooh
and Ah!” I think I splurged on some
perfume that had a brand name value to it.
I overspent to comfort myself in the gifting
process. She thanked me there at the party,
and probably had to check her list for the
perfunctory thank-you note she sent later.
What she gushed over was the paper bag that
held black jellybeans from the rich CEO of
some initialed corporation like IBM or GE.
“You remembered!” she exclaimed
as she popped a few gummy confections in her
mouth and mumbled with gooey speech, “licorice
is my favorite.” For a buck-fifty, he
had diminished all the Madison Avenue gifts
the rest of us brought.
A gift’s value is not measured in cost
or in popularity. It truly is the thought
behind the gift or action. Sometimes it is
the gift or kindness done not on Valentine’s
Day! It might be the warm banana oat bran
muffins that Jeanne Davis dropped off because
she knew we had over-night guests. It might
be an unexpected sympathy card from Tammy
Alvarado. It might be a hug from a former
student like Caleb Merante. It might be a
phone call for no particular reason—just
because you were on someone’s mind.
It might be an email from someone like Judith
Boggess who shared an article on impressionist
art. Yes, everyone likes to be remembered.
On Valentine’s Day we throw the word
love around as if it were a synonym for like
or appreciate. I like chocolate, roses, diamonds,
presents, and dinners out, but I only love
people. You see, “Love” doesn’t
need gift-wrapping. Love is thoughtful and
spontaneous. Liking implies purchasing a direct
object using money—I like cruises. I
like steak and lobster, and I like gold hoop
earrings. Love, on the other hand, is very
portable, inexpensive and always there. It
doesn’t mean a trip to Target. It isn’t
a gift that can wilt or be devalued by a half
price sale. Thoughtful giving has the unique
power to give back to the giver.
February, though the shortest month, has lots
of holidays. The ground hog didn’t see
its shadow, hearts and the color of red abound,
and then there is Presidents’ Day. I’m
old enough to remember when Lincoln had his
own day, February 12, as did Washington on
February 22. Two days off in February have
been compacted into one, I guess, in fairness
to the other presidents who were slighted.
We couldn’t afford that many holidays.
So now we just have one generic Monday that
closes banks, schools and post offices. The
holiday has been reduced to a calendar date
with only television and newspapers using
the day to advertise car sales and cherry
cake specials at the market. I bet most people
can’t even name the presidents, and
if they knew more about them, they might find
that all of these men really don’t merit
a holiday. I can think of a few that are not
deserving of our honor or praise!
Presidents not only get a holiday, they get
denominations of money with unflattering portraits.
It doesn’t seem fair that our original
Lincoln and Washington Holidays only translate
to a mere six bucks on the monetary scale.
Other not-so-well-known presidents get much
more economic value. My personal favorite
dead president, on money that is, is Woodrow
Wilson!
So if your Valentine’s Day wasn’t
all that you expected, use a few of those
dead presidents to buy something for yourself
or take Woodrow Wilson for a cruise to the
Caribbean with someone you love.
 Spitzer
Names A New Enviro-Commissioner
Grannis,
a former DEC employee with a law degree from the
University of Virginia, has pushed such environmental
issues as the state Environmental Quality Review
Act, the original bottle bill, and the clean-up
and revitalization of the state’s brownfields,
as well as the banning of cigarette smoking from
public places in New York State. Prior to joining
Spitzer’s office, Enck was an environmental
associate with the New York Public Interest Research
Group who also served as executive director of the
Environmental Advocates of New York, a non-profit
government watchdog organization.
Issues facing the DEC under its new administration
include many’s belief that the agency had
pulled away from active environmental enforcement
during Pataki’s years, focused too much on
high-profile money-making facilities (such as local
Belleayre Mountain Ski Center), and eschewed its
stewardship role for state lands.
Off-the-record talk among those currently at the
DEC, as well as many who do business with the agency
around the region, said they were surprised by Grannis’
nomination, but felt it showed Spitzer’s will
to create a more active environmental role for the
state in the coming years. Some also noted that
the new governor’s choice of two high-powered
environmental officers also suggested a possible
power struggle down the line, although others pointed
out that whereas Enck is a theorist, Grannis has
proved his worth as a listener who responds to needs
in the field. A man of action, in other words.
No one was yet ready to address rumors that some
major local changes might soon be in the offing,
from shifts in regional offices and facilities’
management to the possibility of a renewing of an
earlier push, by Hinchey and the state’s last
Democratic DEC Commissioners under Mario Cuomo,
to build a Catskills Park interpretive center on
lands already developed for the purpose on Route
28 near the Shandaken/Olive/Woodstock line in Mt.
Tremper.
“So far, everyone has been wrong about everything,”
said one insider. “As a result, we don’t
pay any attention to the rumor mill.”
Similarly, questions regarding any changes regarding
the state DEC’s pending review of local developer
Dean Gitter’s Belleayre Resort proposal to
put a massive gold resort on high peak lands adjacent
to the state-owned ski resort went unanswered as
of press time… except for those who pointed
out Grannis’ long friendship with Hinchey,
who has proposed cutting the project in half, and
Enck’s role as environmental advisor in the
AG’s office, which came out strongly against
the project on several occasions in recent years.
“Pete Grannis was part of the Environmental
Conservation Committee the whole time I was there.
I don’t know of anyone who is more able and
more committed to the environment than Pete Grannis,”
said Hinchey in a statement. “He is a very
highly qualified and highly capable person who will
do an extraordinary job. Pete knows environmental
issues as well as anyone and I’m sure he will
be a very effective Commissioner. I very much look
forward to working with him again.”
Noted the environmental group Riverkeeper, which
has played a key role in many Catskills watershed
issues in recent years, “Pete Grannis and
Judith Enck are the Environmental ‘Dream Team,’
Their appointments signal a new and exciting era
of environmental protection in New York State…
With these appointments, Governor Spitzer is now
poised to restore New York as a leader in environmental
protection.”
environGrannis, born in Chicago, Illinois and a
graduate of Rutgers University, had been known in
the legislature for his role fighting large insurance
companies on behalf of the public, as an advocate
for affordable housing, and as well as a stickler
for detail. In 1988, Mr. Grannis spearheaded the
set-aside of millions of dollars in surplus tax
revenues for an innovative package of affordable
housing programs. In addition to his legislative
initiatives, he made oversight a priority, conducting
investigations into the state’ s rent administration
and affordable housing programs. He authored New
York’s Clean Indoor Air Act, which stands
as the most comprehensive set of restrictions on
smoking in public places and workplaces in the nation.
As Chairman of the Assembly Majority Adirondack
Working Group, Grannis led the fight to preserve
the natural resources of the Adirondack Park, earning
him the honor of becoming a three-time winner of
the “Legislator of the Year” from the
Environmental Planning Lobby, as well as similar
awards from the Audobon Society.
“I’m very excited and flattered,”
Grannis, 65, told the press following his nomination.
“DEC is where I began my career in 1970,”
he added, noting two years spent as a compliance
officer in the department he will now be heading.
He is a skier, hiker and avid flyfisherman whose
staff says spends considerable time in the Catskills
already, where he treasures the local streams.
Enck has said Spitzer is concerned about issues
including global warming, land preservation, recycling
and expanding the bottle recycling bill.
“You will see a lot of that when the budget
comes out later this week,” Enck noted in
a statement. “The governor wants to revive
DEC. It is definitely understaffed, having lost
800 staff during the last 10 years.”
Grannis’ nomination for the $136,000-a-year
DEC commissioner’s post, which currently oversees
approximately 3,400 employees and is responsible
for air and water purity as well as protected wilderness
regions in the Catskills and Adirondacks for the
state of New York, will go before the GOP-controlled
state Senate, where he said he expects support.
A spokesman for the Senate Republican majority said
the review process would be “thorough and
open.”
State Senator John J. Bonacic, who pointed out having
served with Mr. Grannis in the State Assembly, said
this week that, “The DEC significantly impacts
those who live in the Catskills. I look forward
to working with the Commissioner-designee on issues
such as the watershed agreement, Belleayre Mountain
Ski Center, and the need for the State to implement
more aggressive plans relating to flood control.”
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