(News Briefs August 17, 2006)

Detour Updates
What with the school season about to start, and the hazards of winter driving not far behind, local road closures have been on people’s minds of late… and in Olive, feisty town that it is, the subject of a growing petition drive to have at least one thoroughfare closed for several years now re-opened sometime in the foreseeable future.
The biggest potential closure headache, involving the detouring of Route 28 through Woodstock or some other route so deep culverts under the well-used highway in the Boiceville area, damaged by flooding in late June, is still up in the air with state Department of Transportation spokespeople saying there’s nothing to say… and inferring too much may have been said already.
According to Olive supervisor Bert Leifeld, he’s been in regular touch with state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill and state Senator John Bonacic, recently at odds with the town over Large Parcel and other issues, about the possible 28 closure. But to date… nada.
As for the petition drive to reopen Monument Road, cut off for the last few years for “security reasons” according to New York City, under whose jurisdiction the reservoir roads run, Leifeld said he was simply going along with others’ wishes that the town help find a solution for the major inconvenience.
The petitions ask that the city look into setting up a permit process for local residents so their security concerns can be abated.
As for such a move’s legality – essentially making a public road private – Leifeld said he was told by the subcommittee of Olive Matters that came to him that they had found a lawyer who could explain their case, if the town would back them by helping contact the right people at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection… and foot some of the lawyers’ bills.
“It was a citizen’s group, headed by Vince Barringer, that went to Olive Matters. They brought the matter to us and nothing was happening,” Leifeld explained. We put up $5,000 for a lawyer, Dell Seligman, to write a letter to the city with the proposal.
The supervisor said that had gone out last week. But no word back has been heard, and may not be for some time.
As for rumors that Reservoir Road from Winchell’s Corners over the dividing weir might be closed for repairs, Leifeld said such matters were raised as one of many possibilities in a recent meeting of engineers… but that nothing more had come of it.
“It ended up in some dumb ass article,” he said, “all about raising the dividing weir five feet. Scared a lot of people.”
He said as far as he’s heard, the only repairs that have been done were the fitting in of several “splash boards” in the arches of the weir.
“We’ll let you know when there’s something real,” he added.

Gitter Vs All?
State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi recently raised serious concerns about the proposed Belleayre Resort at Catskill Park, prompting the resort’s developer to disparage the state official, along with a number of other governmental figures, as being “out of touch” and basically anti-development.
The report issued last week by. Hevesi says developer Crossroads Ventures “understates the potential environmental impacts and economic risks of the project” because of “faulty assumptions regarding profitability and comparable developments in other areas.”
“The Belleayre Resort project appears to be a speculative venture that may well endanger existing resource uses and end up placing unacceptable burdens on state, city and local taxpayers,” Hevesi wrote, including a warning that any environmental damage caused by the resort could derail the current agreement between New York City and various upstate communities and agencies to protect the drinking water that the city draws from reservoirs in the Catskills.
“The city of New York is currently operating under a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with the federal Environmental Protection Agency that requires the city to either preserve the quality of the water in its watershed or, if it cannot do so, build a filtration system estimated (in 1999) to cost $6 billion,” Hevesi wrote. “The Belleayre project ignores this ‘filtration avoidance determination’ and threatens to expose the city to huge additional capital expenses at a time when the costs of maintaining and repairing the existing water supply system are becoming more burdensome.”
Catskill Center executive director Tom Alworth, spokesman for the Catskill Preservation Coalition of 11 national, state and regional environmental organizations, was pleased with the report’s focus on economic impacts.
“There have been many damning criticisms of the Belleayre Development,” Alworth said. “While the dire environmental impacts have received much of the press, finally the economic fallacy of the project has also been exposed. Experts (working for the coalition) raised many of the same criticisms of the economics and secondary impacts of the resort. There is now independent confirmation by the comptroller ... that this development project presents serious environmental and economic problems to go along with secondary development and quality-of-life impacts.”
Leaders of other organizations in CPC concurred with Alworth’s assertion.
Chris Wilde from Riverkeeper noted that the turbidity of Catskill streams has reached the crisis point and said that building the proposed mega-resort “would be a turbidity disaster.”
From Trout Unlimited, the nation’s leading wild fish conservation organization, area member Roy Hochberg focused on local fishing waters. “The proposed resort would harm two drainages that contain storied American fishing streams—and could affect adversely the wild fish that live there,” he said.
“This sprawling mega-resort simply does not belong here,” added Richard Schaedle, chairman of the grassroots Catskill Heritage Alliance. “Our wilderness environment is our most precious asset, in terms of both our community life and our economic potential. Let’s find some kind of development that will highlight that asset, not destroy it irrevocably.”
Among other things, Hevesi’s report states: The developer’s measurement of investment profitability is flawed and appears to have been used to inflate required income estimates to justify a large-scale development and discourage discussion about smaller-scale alternatives. The developer’s business plan assumes that a major resort operator, such as Marriott or Starwood, would be interested in the facilities. However, there is no indication that these or other companies have expressed interest. The project’s impact in the Catskill Park would upset the current balance between recreational use and environmental protection, and also could necessitate major improvements in transportation infrastructure. Speaking for Crossroads, spokesman Paul Rakov said, “Congressman Hinchey and State Comptroller Hevesi are out of the loop. They have based their latest attempt to derail the Belleayre Resort on out of date information.”
He noted a new compromise plan Crossroads has supposedly delivered to the dereal Environmental Protection Agency but not yet shared with any other agencies or the press as a sign of compromise (see cover story).
“I should explain why we aren’t announcing our new concepts to you,” Rakov added. “ It is because they are exactly that...concepts. We are continuing our talks with key regulatory agencies. If they don’t approve new plans, then there is no need to announce something that has no chance of seeing the light of day. When we are confident that we have even tentative support from the regulatory agencies, we will then meet with environmental, business and government leaders to lay out the new future of the Belleayre Resort. Stay tuned!”
As for the adjudicatory process the resort has been in for over a year now… initiated when a state law judge ruled that a dozen issues involving the Crossroads’ proposal go before a court, and Crossroads appealed, Rakov was equally pugnacious:
“To date, we are still embroiled in a lengthy environmental review process as required by the State,” he said. “Mr. Hinchey is not part of that process. Mr. Hevesi is not part of the process. It would be well for them to stop roiling the waters — it is they, not us, who are kicking up dirt and generating turbidity.”
As he said… stay tuned.

Onteora Closure!
While conducting a routine inspection of the high school on Friday, August 11, BOCES health and safety coordinator Mike O’Rourke found a mysterious substance in the science office that resulted in an evacuation of the school.
According to Interim superintendent Jack Jordan, the substance was found in the office of the chemistry lab. He said it was in two small vials and became a hazardous material after it had been sitting there for a long time and crystallized.
“They estimated it might have been there for at least ten years,” he said. Afraid if dropped and broken it could become a health hazard, Jordan they emptied the building said as a precaution while the material was being removed.
On another hazardous material note, asbestos is being removed from the high school hallway on the side of Route 28. Jordan said they have sectioned that area off and are following procedures on its removal to block off every part of the building, ventilators and walkway.
The asbestos removal is on schedule and should be completed by next week.

Reservoir Rec!
Local Watershed officials are lauding the recent announcement that the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has amended its watershed recreation rules and increased opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating and the use of motor vehicles on the vast holdings of the City within the Watershed region, which covers territory within the counties of Ulster, Greene, Delaware, Sullivan and Schoharie.
The news was announced by Emily Lloyd, the Commissioner of the City’s Department of Environmental Protection, at the Delaware County Fair in the town of Walton.
“For the past several years, the Department has been working with local and county governments and sporting groups to expand recreational activities and access to DEP land, Lloyd said. “In making these changes, we are eager to work with upstate communities and organizations to expand the role that New York City watershed lands can play in encouraging tourism and economic development in the Catskills.”
Alan Rosa, the Executive Director of the Catskill Watershed Corporation and also an avid hunter, was on hand at the fair to hear the news.
“The move to increase access to City lands is good news not only to hunters and sportsmen, but to hikers, snowshoers, birdwatchers, cross country skiers — everyone who enjoys the outdoors,” said Rosa. “This will boost economic development by bringing in tourist dollars as well.”
Rosa was also pleased that Access Permits will be available instantaneously through the Department’s watershed Web site: www.nyc.gov/watershedrecreation. Previously the City was criticized by sportsman who claimed the permit process was cumbersome.
Lloyd added that her department has increased its hunting areas this year by over 4,000 acres and now has over 36,000 acres open for deer hunting. The Department’s new hunting program for small game, turkey and bear will take place on 21 parcels totaling over 7,700 acres, and will be expanded next year. A total of over 74,000 acres of DEP lands are open to the public, with over 25,000 acres and 21 reservoirs or controlled lakes available for fishing.
New rules include: Lowering the minimum age for Access Permit and Hunt Tag from 16 to 14; the permitting of hunting with handguns; the creation of a Public Area designation that will allow entry to historic use areas without an Access Permit., and the allowing of unleashed dogs under certain conditions.

Beyond Tourism
The Ulster County Legislature, Ulster County Development Corporation (UCDC), Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (UCIDA) and Ulster County Planning Board (UCPB) recently announced the formal initiation of a collaborative effort to create a new strategic economic development vision and plan for Ulster County. This effort will identify and prioritize desired outcomes for a vibrant Ulster County economy and provide a blueprint for economic development, including business growth and community revitalization.
Hector S. Rodriguez, Chair of the Legislature’s Economic Development, Planning, Housing and Transit said, “ the new administration of the legislature has been calling for a game plan or map for economic direction for our future development since day one. I’m very pleased that our partnership with UCDC and the UCIDA will help give some direction for our future development. This strategy will be innovative in its approach and gain local buy-in for what type of development we want in Ulster County.”
“The American economy has undergone a transformation driven by entrepreneurs who create opportunity for change and build new industries based upon innovation and global markets. Ulster County must embrace the new economy, support innovation and entrepreneurship, create an atmosphere that nurtures new business start-ups, and maintain a family-friendly environment and high quality of life,” said Chester J. Straub, Jr. President of UCDC.
Straub further said that “our economic development strategy will allow Ulster to come together as a county to help create a new agenda for opportunity, while maintaining the vitality of our cities, towns, villages and hamlets, and fostering collaborative business development among all of our communities and shared growth for all of our citizens.”
March S. Gallagher, Chair of the UCIDA said, “the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency is changing its Uniform Tax Exemption Policy so that projects reflecting countywide economic development goals can be awarded greater benefits. Accordingly, Ulster County must develop a countywide economic development strategy. The UCIDA, County government, and UCDC working together presents an exciting step forward in this process.”
To aid the effort, UCDC has retained the consulting firms of Cope & Associates, Inc. and Economic & Policy Resources, Inc. The planning process will include a comprehensive assessment of the Ulster County economy, affirm a mission and vision for its future, identify and prioritize broadly supported outcomes for a vibrant economy, and create strategies that will guide implementation.
Included in the process will be consultation with public and private interest groups, elected and appointed public officials, and community and business leaders. A three-day “Collaborative Jury,” comprised of county stakeholders groups that mirror Ulster County’s demographics and varied business and community interests, will be held in early October. The Jury will be. It is anticipated that the planning process will be completed in January 2007.
Project information, a schedule of upcoming events, a resource guide and public survey can be accessed at the project Website found at www.ulsterplanning.info.

Committee Talk
On one of the hottest nights of the year August 1, the Onteora school board debated Robert’s rules of order, the handling of Public Be Heard, and means for stopping motions on the floor. By meeting’s end, changes had been made to the board’s facilities committee, technology committee and requesting future discussions were set to talk about the responsibilities given to the OCS future of the district committee. Behind the discussions was concern about ongoing proposals to change the configuration of the district, possibly closing an elementary school and expanding the middle school for establishment in its own building. Board members noted that they were uncomfortable with committees getting reports from district consultants on facilities and expansion possibilities before them.
Interim superintendent Jack Jordan said he favored committee reports on issues, while board members reiterated their fears that some committees included members, including elementary principals, with “vested interests” at play in considerations.
Discussion will continue at the district’s August 22 school board meeting.
In other news of late, the board approved a donation of 2,280 from Greg Silver a recent Onteora graduate for a Gazebo in the courtyard of the high school. The money was received from his high school graduation gifts.

Sheriff Scans
An Ulster County Sheriff’s Office patrol car is now capable of scanning and checking 8,000 to 10,000 license plates every eight hours thanks to new technology: Two 5-pound cameras mounted on top of the car which feed an infrared image into the Remington License Plate Reader system, which checks the plate numbers against a daily “hot list” from the New York Statewide Police Information Network.
Sheriff’s Capt. Harry VanVliet IV said the new device is far more efficient than the old method of typing license plate numbers in by hand. And it also removes the human error element. The cameras have a field of vision of almost 180 degrees, can monitor up to four lanes of traffic (depending on how the cameras are positioned) and can monitor traffic traveling in both directions.
The $20,000 tracking system links into a high-speed computer inside the car that makes a slight beep as it scans a plate. It then sounds an alarm if the plate is on the hot list.
Within a year, two or three more sheriff’s cars are expected to be equipped with the tracking system, given further grants are available.
Drive safely!

Hudson Manatee!
A manatee is swimming in the Hudson River. The huge animal has been spotted three times in the last week, off the coast of New York City and then up near Westchester headed beyond Yonkers towards Kingston. There was plenty of disbelief to go around, but experts who know a manatee when they see one say there’s no doubting it.
The creatures normally stay in the warm waters of Florida, but have been known to go as far north as Rhode Island.
According to a Manatee Sighting Alert issued by Rescue Program Director Kimberly Durham of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, “This particular animal has been making his way North up the coastline with sightings reported in Delaware, Maryland & NJ. The sighting was reported first at 23rd Street and then later at 125th Street. On both occasions it was observed logging at the surface adjacent to the bulkhead and appeared to be heading further north up the river. As you can imagine we are very anxious about hearing about our wayward visitor. I have contacted the USFWS in Jacksonville to inquire about whether they wish to attach a transmitter to him/her. The animal has been described as approx. 10 ft in length and has barnacles on its dorsal surface.”
Durham added that any further sightings of the so-called “sea cow” call a 631-369-9829 Manatee Sighting Hotline immediately.

Hinchey Hybrid
With gas prices at record highs, Congressman Maurice Hinchey joined Ulster County officials for a press conference the morning of Wednesday, August 9, 2006 at the Ulster County Transit Center to announce the county’s purchase of a hybrid bus that will be used as a model and demo for future, energy efficient mass transit vehicles nationwide. The Congressman highlighted how the new hybrid bus is an example of ways in which communities across New York and the United States can and must move in a new direction on energy policy.
Hinchey, who secured $250,000 in federal funds for the purchase of the vehicle, discussed how the United States is at a critical juncture in which it must decide whether to continue on a reckless path of oil dependency or to move in a new direction of renewable, alternative energy that will strengthen national security, improve the environment, create a massive new sector of the American economy, and be much more affordable than the out of control gas prices of today.
The Congressman is the co-author of the Energy for Our Future Act, a bipartisan energy reform bill that would repeal the billions of dollars in subsidies for oil and gas industries given away in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, encourage innovative mass transit solutions, increase conservation and weatherization, require renewable energy portfolios and increase the corporate fuel economy standard to 40 miles per gallon.
State and county governments each chipped in $57,000 towards the new vehicle’s half million dollar plus cost. The hybrid bus runs on electricity and an ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, gets high gas mileage, and is expected to last for 12 years.

Mental Help…
The Ulster County Mental Health Department will need financial support in the near future to continue its transition to a recovery-oriented service. According to Marshall Beckman, director of the Mental Health Department, the majority of the mental health field has seen state and local funding diminish, which will be even more problematic if rumors of federal cuts prove true. He said the concentration of federal funds to Medicaid programs have made mental health services treatment-heavy, causing clients to become dependent on clinics.
The county’s Community Services Board began discussing an interdepartmental restructuring in 2004, and the Mental Health Department now is promoting recovery through support systems, including residential services, job placement, wellness services, self-help groups and case management services.
The move away from intense treatment toward other avenues of continuous support comes at an opportune time because it could mean savings for the county, especially in regard to lowering the number of expensive hospital bills. Beckman said the restructuring has allowed for cost-efficiency and a nearly flat budget, as well as improved treatment statistics.
The Mental Health Department has seen a decline in the number of adult visits and length of stay, and people are less dependent on treatment while participating more in wellness activities and jobs, Beckman said.
But despite its benefits, the restructuring has caused some problems within the department’s chain of command. The streamlining and cost efficiencies have consolidated positions and caused some employees to take on extra work without an increase in pay, causing inequities among staff.
Stay tuned…

Gaining Power!
The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center has announced the establishment of a Cornerstone Campaign as the initial phase of a larger capital fundraising effort to purchase, construct, or renovate a building in the county seat of Kingston that will become its permanent home.
In May, the Center’s temporary offices in Kingston were vandalized. Ginny Apuzzo , President of the Board of Directors for the Center, expressed the need for a safe place for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered people. “If this level of hostility was evoked by an office, how does that bigotry and homophobia play itself out in the community, particularly as directed against our young people?” Apuzzo asked. “The act that targeted our project made it very clear that our need to succeed is imperative… Let our message be that our vision of the future of the LGBTQ community here in the Hudson Valley was matched with the energy, resources, and commitment to build that future.”
The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center organization is working to create a community center in Kingston, NY to provide community outreach, education and advocacy in public policy issues, and cultural events to the LGBTQ community.
More than 200 people attended the first outreach meeting at Kingston City Hall this past spring, while another 200 people plus attended the organization’s second outreach meeting in Rosendale More than 500 members from several counties have joined to date!
Call 845-331-5300 for more information, or to receive a Cornerstone Campaign mailing.

Eek... Bedbugs!!!
Absent from the U.S. for so long that some thought they were a myth, bedbugs are back. Entomologists and pest control professionals are reporting a dramatic increase in infestations throughout the country, and no one knows exactly why.
Bedbugs are tiny brownish, flattened insects that feed exclusively on the blood of animals and humans. Their bites may cause itchy red welts or swelling. Before World War II, bedbug infestations were common in the U.S., but they were virtually eradicated through improvements in hygiene and the widespread use of DDT in the 1940s and 1950s.
Unlike mosquitoes, though, they are not known to transmit blood-borne diseases from one victim to another. But they are extremely resilient and very difficult to exterminate. Experts say bedbugs are not necessarily an indicator of unsanitary conditions.
In the past four years, reports of bedbugs have significantly increased in U.S. cities, from New York to Honolulu, especially in hotels, hospitals and college dormitories - all places with high resident turnover. The National Pest Management Association, which represents many of the country’s pest control companies, says the number of bedbug reports have increased fivefold in four years.
Experts are not entirely sure what has caused the marked increase. Some speculate that increased international travel and immigration may be partially to blame. Another factor is a change in pest control practices. Companies are spraying more responsibly now… Instead of indiscriminately saturating the perimeter of all rooms, they often use more conservative measures and do large-scale spray treatments only when there’s an infestation. As a result of consumer demand, less toxic chemicals are also being used.

The Big Plot…
President George W. Bush seized on the foiled London airline bomb plot reportedly unveiled last week to hammer unnamed critics he accused of having all but forgotten the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Weighed down by the unpopular war in Iraq, Bush and his aides have tried to shift the national political debate from that conflict to the broader and more popular global war on terrorism ahead of November 7 congressional elections. Political consultant Karl Rove went so far as to note that the Republican Party would be running the upcoming election on security issues last winter.
The London conspiracy is “a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom, to hurt our nation,” the president said this past week. “It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of
America… We are the ones who have taken a lot of measures to protect the American people.”
His remarks came a day after the White House orchestrated an exceptionally aggressive campaign to tar opposition Democrats as weak on terrorism, knowing what Democrats didn’t: News of the plot could soon break. But Bush aides later fought the notion that they had exploited
their knowledge of the coming British raid to hit Democrats.
Senior White House officials said that the British government had not launched its raid until well after Cheney held a highly unusual conference call with reporters to attack the Democrats as weak against terrorism… following coordination of efforts by Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who started discussing the bomb plot a week before it was announced while both were on individual vacations neither gave up.
“Weeks before September 11th, this is going to play big,” another White House official told the British newspaper The Guardian last week, adding that some Democratic candidates “won’t look as appealing under these circumstances.”
The Brtitish press has reported that UK authorities acted based on intelligence provided by the CIA. They have also started asking why, if the threat posed by the plot was considered dangerous enough to warrant raising the terror alert in the UK from “severe” to “critical” and to code red in the US, there were no arrests made for five days? And why was the terror alert only raised after the arrests were made and not before?
Meanwhile, following the announcements terrorism experts and former agency officials are saying that the Department of Homeland Security has focused more on old terrorism methods than possible new plots, with a nearly obsessive focus on the previous attacks that may have prevented the federal government from combating new threats effectively. The nation is still at risk from the same “failure of imagination” cited by the 9/11 commission as having contributed to the success of the 2001 attack, several argued.
“They are reactive, not proactive,” said Randall J. Larsen, a retired colonel in the Air Force who is chairman of the military strategy department at the National War College in Washington.
“What doesn’t exist yet is a risk management process,” said Penrose C. Albright, a former assistant secretary for science and technology at the Department of Homeland Security. “In the absence of coherent analysis, there’s no way to prevent the system from getting whipsawed. So it’s not surprising that we end up spending a lot of money fighting the last war and not addressing more modern threats.”
Meanwhile, new flight restrictions on gels and liquids were eased somewhat when it was discovered that federal agents were endangering people’s lives who needed medications. In England, at the same time, most flights have gone back to normal while ours have stayed at Orange Alert.
Also. British officials have since noted that despite all the brouhaha. an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets… and some did not even have passports. New reports are further noting that U.S. and British authorities had a significant disagreement over when to move in on the suspects in the alleged plot. A senior British official knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner.
Since the plot’s unveiling, Bush’s approval rating for homeland security rose 11 percent to 55 percent while his overall approval rating rose to 38 percent, a 3-point increase since
polls in May.
Go figure.

Beloved Resident
Robert F. Davis, 52 of State Route 28 in Big Indian, died Saturday August 12, at Benedictine Hospital. He was a native and life long Catskill Mountain’s resident, he worked as a sawyer for Woodstock Beam Works for many years. He enjoyed garden landscaping, and was a talented dry stone mason. He was an avid hunter, fisher, and bowler formerly with the Suburban Men’s league in Margaretville. He grew up in Andes, and worked on farms in the New Kingston Valley. He was a United States Army Sergeant having served from 1977 to 1984. He earned the Expert Marksmanship Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Achievement Medal, and the Professional Development Ribbon.
He was born July 7, 1954 in Margaretville son of Glenford Davis of Millbrook, and Dorothy Vanderlyn of West Shokan. In addition to his parents, he is survived by three daughters: Amy Sherman of Shokan, Robin Ackerley and Laura Davis both of Erin,NY , two sons: John Hren of Oneonta, and Paul Davis of Shandaken. A brother Richard Brisbane of Fort Plain. Three sisters: Bessie Payne of South Kortright, Gloria Quick of Shandaken, and Nancy Smith of Kingston. Seven grandchildren: Christina, Justin, Shawn, Alex, Madelyn, Brandon, and Landon.
A funeral service to celebrate the life of Mr. Davis was held on Tuesday at 2pm at the E. B. Gormley Funeral Home 87 Main St. Phoenicia with the Rev. Ralph Darmstadt as celebrant.

Bad Recruiting
Allegations of wrongdoing by U.S. military recruiters jumped by 50 percent from 2004 to 2005, and criminal violations such as sexual harassment and falsifying documents more than doubled, says the Government Accountability Office, Congress ‘ investigative agency, adding that the full extent of violations by military recruiters is unknown because the Defense Department does not have an oversight system.
While the GAO said available information likely underestimated the problem, it showed that allegations of recruiter wrongdoing increased to 6,600 cases in fiscal year 2005 from 4,400 a year earlier. Substantiated cases rose to almost 630 cases from 400, and criminal violations jumped to 70 from about 30, it said.
The report said the military’s roughly 20,000 recruiters have been under pressure to meet recruiting goals while a fairly strong economy has sustained a competitive job market and the death toll in the Iraq war has been rising.
“Determined to find ways to succeed in a challenging recruiting environment, some recruiters reportedly have resorted to overly aggressive tactics, such as coercion and harassment,” the GAO report said.
That can hurt recruiting by damaging relationships with parents, teachers, coaches and others who have influence on potential applicants, the report said. It also can waste tax dollars if ineligible applicants are recruited and begin basic training, but do not enter military service, it said.
The report faulted the Defense Department for not establishing an “oversight framework” that requires reports on recruiter violations and sets criteria for characterizing the irregularities. It also said the Army, Navy and Air Force measure recruiter performance primarily by the number of recruits who enlist and report to basic training, rather than the number who complete basic training.

Free Lunch?
Families who may be eligible to receive free or reduced-priced school lunches for their children are encouraged by area school districts to apply for the federally funded nutrition program as soon as possible. While districts will be using last year’s information during September, applications must be received and processed during that month if a family wants to continue with the program. Parents who have not received an application in the mail can request one from their school principal’s office.
In the coming year, Ulster County-area school children whose families make $26,000 or less qualify for free lunch; families whose annual income totals $37,000 or less qualify for a reduced-price meal. Families of other sizes can calculate their eligibility level for free meals by adding or subtracting $4,420 for each family member. A family of five, for example, must have an annual income of $43,290 or less to be eligible.


Volunteer?
Volunteers are needed for the final shoreline clean-up of the summer, which will take place Saturday, August 26 at the Pepacton Reservoir from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The announcement was made by the Catskill Heritage Alliance, official sponsor of the cleanups since taking over the function from the Catskill Watershed Corporation a year ago.
“Everyone is qualified to do this, and all are welcome,” says Jo-Anne Rowley, who is coordinating the effort in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Protection. “All you need are a pair of gloves and a sense of humor—and don’t forget sunscreen.” Volunteers under the age of 16 are particularly welcome but must bring either a parent/guardian or a signed permit. (For more information on permits contact Rowley at 845 688-2038.)
“The cleanup is a great way to have fun, do a good thing, and be with neighbors. And this year, it’s a particularly good way to start the day, then move on to the Margaretville Street Fair and Shandaken Eagle Day,” Rowley adds.
Volunteers should gather at 8:45 a.m. at the kiosk and parking area on the east side of the Shavertown Bridge where Route 30 meets the Reservoir Road. (At the intersection of Routes 30 and 28 a mile west of Margaretville, turn south on Route 30; the bridge is about 10 miles down). Tee-shirts will be available for volunteers, and as an added bonus, all volunteers will receive a DEP permit entitling them to access watershed lands for a year.
The Catskill Heritage Alliance is a 501(c)3 grassroots organization dedicated to preserving the harmony between the villages of the central Catskills and the surrounding wilderness through community revitalization and open space conservation. More information on the clean-ups and CHA can be found at the website, www.catskillheritage.org .

Charter Hearing
At the direction of Chairman David B. Donaldson, a Public Hearing and Special Session of the Ulster County Legislature will be held on Wednesday, August 23rd at 7:00 PM in the Legislative Chambers, Sixth Floor, County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston.
The purpose of the Public Hearing is regarding Introductory Local Law No. 2 (A Local Law Adopting The Ulster County Charter) and the Special Session will be to consider adopting Introductory Local Law No. 2 (A Local Law Adopting The Ulster County Charter).
A special meeting of the legislature will follow the public hearing.