Dear Editor, By calling opponents of his development project “environmental jihadists” (The Freeman, December 15, 2004), Mr. Gitter has succeeded in reminding us once again that being wealthy and well-educated and being a gentleman are by no means the same thing. I only hope Mr. Gitter’s words are not the opening salvo of the 2005 Republican campaign for Town Board in Shandaken. If so, the voters of Shandaken are in for an 11-month ordeal in 2005.
Yours truly,
Patricia L. Ellison
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
On December 14, I attended the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce breakfast at which Dean Gitter of Belleayre Resort notoriety was the featured speaker. I have witnessed Mr. Gitter’s angry rants many times; this time he crossed a new line.
Playing on a terrorist theme, he claimed resort opponents were conducting a “holy war” against him, called them “environmental jihadists”, made reference to “fundamentalist environmentalists”, called the New York City DEP’s representatives “hired assassins”, and apologized if he had offended any members of the Taliban present.
After this full, frontal attack on everyone who doesn’t agree with him, he proceeded to list ways in which “they” have “misused” the environmental review process, which, according to him, is the only reason his resort isn’t built yet.
For example, he implied that the DEC had given a green light to his project, but were thwarted when the apparently omnipotent “environmental holy warriors” intervened. (Note: the DEC has given no such green light.) And Gitter cried foul because the all-volunteer Shandaken Planning Board was not chosen as lead agency, despite their complete lack of experience reviewing anything much larger than a house. He dismisses the fact that reviewing this massive and complex mountaintop development proposal, sited in the middle of the NYC watershed and Catskill Park, might be beyond the planning board’s expertise. He claimed that the board had never taken more than a few months to review a project, implying that his development would be well on it’s way by now (I wonder why?) if those “environmental fundamentalists” and that pesky NYCDEP hadn’t gotten in the way.
Gitter sited grievance after grievance and for each he created a story which not only omitted relevant information, but misrepresented the facts, the process, and the people involved.
He concluded by claiming that the SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) process had been “broken” through “misuse” and attributed that to the “environmentalist holy warriors”, agencies such as the NYCDEP, and the dreaded public having wangled their way into the process.
It is clear that his outrage is not because SEQR is not working, but because it is not working to his advantage. SEQR, in this case, is providing the checks and balances it was designed to provide, and which are critical to determining the impacts of a project of this size and complexity. And it seems to be just those checks and balances that Dean Gitter and company would love to eliminate.
Judith Wyman
Chichester, NY

Dear Editor,
I was frankly astonished the other morning to hear Dean Gitter characterize the opponents of his Bellayre project as zealots and to compare them with terrorist organizations. I hardly think that failing to conform to Mr. Gitter’s vision of the future merits that type of comparison. I think his project is on too large a scale, will pollute the Esopus creek, create a traffic nightmare along Route 28 and will have a very limited economic impact on the area. This does not qualify me as a Bin Laden operative.
I fear Mr. Gitter is making the same mistake in this region as the current administration is making in determining our foreign policies: isolating those who don’t agree with us, branding them as enemies and then attempting to force our will upon them. This strategy will have no better success regionally than it has nationally. Perhaps Mr. Gitter should consider choosing dialogue over division.
Bill Colagrande
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
I sat through the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce breakfast and listened to Dean Gitter refer to opponents of the proposed Belleayre Resort as 'environmental jihadists', make reference to New York City Department of Environmental Protection's 'hired assassins' and apologize to any members of the Taliban who might be present.
Is this the level of dialogue that the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce wants to promote? There was no opportunity to question Mr. Gitter about his relentless accusations and no announcements to indicate that other points of view on the subject would be presented at future breakfasts.
Let us hope that the Chamber makes certain that those Mr. Gitter vilified are given equal opportunity to present their side of the matter in question. There is a need here for civil and balanced dialogue.
Doris Bartlett
Shandaken,,NY

Dear Editor,
The controversy in the Onteora School District and Ulster County over the so-called “Large Parcel Law” has been presented to the public through a filter of distortion, anger and even outright lies. Recently, your newspaper printed a Letter to the Editor penned by a group of Town of Olive residents that gave a decidedly one-sided and biased review of a meeting held in my Kingston District Office on November 9, 2004.
This gathering was scheduled at the request of a few constituents to discuss their concerns with the Large Parcel Law. A significantly larger group arrived. Immediately upon commencing the meeting, it became apparent that some visitors were more interested in using this forum to hurl accusations and angry statements than to calmly converse and share thoughts. I let my guests know in no uncertain terms that abusive behavior would not be tolerated, and if that were to be their game plan, we would conclude the appointment. After that, the tone changed for the most part with the exception of one individual. The meeting continued for nearly an hour and a half. The conversation ensued with folks from various walks of life who shared an important mission — relaying their thoughts and experiences as Olive homeowners affected by local decisions to adopt the Large Parcel method of apportioning school district and county taxes. For my part, I explained the history, details and reasoning behind the law.
As our talk concluded, the group left on a cordial note. In an effort to address questions raised during our discussion, I followed up with a letter to each attendee summarizing the content of our meeting and providing answers to their queries. A generic copy of this correspondence is available for review at www.assembly.state.ny.us on my home page under “Publications.” I urge all readers to visit this site or phone my District Office at 845-338-9610 with questions or concerns.
Accusations that “a more articulate and wealthy community in the Onteora School District have applied pressure and that I am following rather than leading” are pure fiction. I have in the past and will forever diligently and proactively represent each and every individual, community and entity in the 101st Assembly District based on my convictions, beliefs and the facts surrounding the issue. Tirades and charges, even when cloaked in the protective anonymity of unnamed third parties, as one person sought to do, will not advance understanding in any way.
I remain committed to serving the needs of all in my constituency. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to respond.
Kevin A. Cahill
NYS Assembly 101st District

Dear Editor,
An Open Letter to Kevin Cahill: A few things do not add up concerning the oppressive Large Parcel Bill enacted by the Onteora School Board. State Senator John Larkin is generally known as the prime sponsor of the Large Parcel Bill and was directly quoted as saying in a written letter dated June 1, 2004 "that the law was not intended to apply to reservoirs..." The other co-sponsor is Assemblyman Paul Tonko who is head of the energy office (and not head of reservoirs, or water supply). The Large Parcel Bill itself states that its purpose "...is to reduce the wild swings both up and down that occur for all assessed properties when a municipality has a high value property whose assessed evaluation is in flux from year to year". THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH PUBLICALLY OWNED RESERVOIR PROPERTIES WHOSE EVALUATION STATUS IS STABLE. Why was the bill changed? Who forced the Onteora School Board to make this terrible decision which by causing a huge rise in Olive's School Taxes is hurting our children, the townspeople of Olive, and is straining community relations with our neighboring towns?
Mr. Cahill, you were once a true representative of all the people. Some say that a more articulate and wealthy community in the Onteora School District applies more pressure and that you, Mr. Cahill, are following rather than leading. Please reconsider your position on the Large Parcel Bill and realize that the Town of Olive bears a tremendous burden that is NOT shared equally by the other towns in the Onteora School District. Let us please keep in mind that only a few other school boards in the ENTIRE state of New York elected to even use the Large Parcel Bill!! None involved reservoirs!
Helen M. Boice, Marlene Colgate
Joe Piscopo, Henrietta Wise
Olive, NY

Dear Editor,
In early October the Town of Olive sent over one thousand signatures in a petition asking for help in amending the Large Parcel Bill. By deleting the word “reservoirs” or by adding the phrase “all concerned municipalities would have to agree to this alternate means of assessment,” the Large Parcel legislation would return to its Legislative intent as stated in Senator Larkin’s letter.
Copies of all these 1,000+ signatures of citizens of Onteora of voting age were sent to Assemblyman Kevin Cahil1 (D), Senator John C. Bonacic (R), and to School Board President Marino D’Orazio. Luckily these petitions and signatures were sent certified mail from the Town Office in West Shokan; otherwise we would never know that they reached their intended destinations. To this date none of the three have even had the courtesy to respond.
Are these representatives embarrassed in the parts they played in raising Olive’s school taxes 60% and county taxes 91.3 %? Aren’t the citizens, and voters, of Olive at least acknowledged?
We are waiting for your responses.
Hopefully, the Board of Education realizes the damage it has wreaked upon the budget and is regretting its meddling in local assessment. Otherwise, Shandaken with 75 % of its land under-assessed by the State of New York might be next. Why did the
Board not request Shandaken, whose reval was a decade older than Olive’s, to give its fair share?
By the way, the Onteora School Board has always had the right to be the assessing agent of all towns in the School District. Why just use the power against Olive’?
Neglectfully, our legislative representatives have opened a can of worms that has towns greedily lusting after state land in Shandaken and revenue sharing of the Ulster Mall Complex.
Whatever happened to Home Rule? Doesn’t “sharing of wealth” smack of socialism’?
Bruce La Monda
Olive Town Board

Dear Editor,
As Shandaken’s Democratic representatives on the Town Board, we want to thank the people of Shandaken for the opportunity to work for you this past year. We have tried hard to ensure that your tax dollars are well spent, and that the people of Shandaken are getting the services they need and deserve from their Town government.
We are pleased that there has been progress in the past year with the Phoenicia and Pine Hill water systems, repairs to the Town Museum, and a more humane dog shelter. But many other longstanding problems remain unsolved. As a New Year approaches, it is time to think those problems through, roll up our sleeves and get to work on them.
At the top of the list should be the needs of the youth here in Shandaken. Every summer for a long time, our recreation program has bussed kids all the way to Mine Kill to swim. It is a long, hot, uncomfortable ride for the kids. We call on the entire town board to help solve this problem by working out arrangements for our recreation program to use the New York State Day Use Area at Pine Hill Lake. Tony Lanza has always bent over backwards for the Town and in the past has assured us he can accommodate our program.
In 2005, we also call on the entire Town Board to take another look at how our Town Police Department operates. The Board majority recently voted to add another full time police officer to the department. We feel this addition to the force was ill advised and puts a strain on the already over burdened town budget. The additional pay for this officer equated to 1/3 of the increase in the 2005 budget. Additionally, the board of police commissioners had not even made a recommendation to hire another officer. Decisions of this kind should only be made after gathering all the information that is available and only after seeking any and all alternatives.
We hope people will let us know their views and concerns, and share with us any ideas they have to move our Town forward in 2005. Best wishes to all for a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season and a joyous New Year!
Edna Hoyt, Paul Van Blarcum
Town Council Members

Dear Editor,
After reading the two articles on the death of high school student Jaimison Wooten I felt compelled to write.
When the death of a student occurs, no matter what the situation and circumstances, I suggest school districts and superintendents concentrate more on finding why and what happened and less on immediately stating, “No fault of ours.” For the family it gives comfort knowing something is being done. To the community it builds trust and for the district its shows compassion.
Hyde Park School District, please focus on finding out the facts and truth. Only the truth will set you free.
To the family of Jamison Wooten, I am so sorry for the sudden loss of your precious son. I know your pain. May God give you the strength to take one day at a time - and many days’ moments at a time.
Cindy O’Connor
Olivebridge, NY

Dear Editor,
On the white plastic fence that borders a field on Route 28, between Riseley Road and Mount Pleasant Road: It is quite an absurdity and affront to our Catskill Mountain sensibility.
Gitter doesn’t have to see it, but we do. The view is over a half mile of white plastic fence bordering a field with Mount Tremper in the background. I would call it surrealistic if it wasn’t so tacky, 1ike a movie set for a Hollywood musical. Are the people whose idea this was afraid of the beauty and mystery of the Catskill Mountains? The fence is saying, “this is not a field in the Catskill Mountains, this is Gitter’s field.”
This is an attempt to suburbanize the Catskill Mountains. It is a microcosm of what will happen to the mountain in Gitter’s Belleayre Resort. Destroy the mountain, plasticize it, suburbanize it, that way we will control it and he will call that progress.
Is there a parallel here with Bush trying to force his idea of democracy on the Iraqi people?
Gerard Manley Hopkins ends a poem with, “Let them be left, wildness and wet; Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.”
Robert Jacobson
Mount Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
What a fabulous tree lighting!! I would like to thank the Phoenicia Rotary Club for providing the lights and dealing with all the necessary electric stuff. Special thanks to Adam Steen for braving several hours of cold in his bucket truck to attach the lights. Thanks to the American Café and Kathy Neal for making wonderful cookies. Thanks also to the Country Store, the Phoenicia Market and the Sportsman’s for providing beverages.
Cher Laughlin
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
Recently Paul Smart and I attended an award ceremony and dinner at the Emerson Inn. Had I not seen him in the room, I would have concluded we were at different events.
The occasion was an award presentation by international travel publishers Conde Nast Johansen for the MOST OUTSTANDING Inn in North America, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Pacific. Whatever your views on development, most folks agree that tourism is essential to our town’s economic survival. This was an opportunity to come together, to set aside our differences—for the moment—and toast success.
What I experienced was a celebration of excellence, a recognition that here in our town we have an extraordinary asset. Those gathered, including the Lt. Governor of the State, came to praise a job well done, to acknowledge a delightful inn, to experience superb food, and world-class hospitality.
It would have been refreshing if just once Mr. Smart could write an article that succeeded in illuminating rather than ridiculing that sought to bring our community together rather than divide it.
Martie Gailes
Big Indian, NY
Editor’s Note: I was reporting the proceedings. When Mr. Gitter started speaking in political terms, it seemed appropriate to cover his speech accordingly. What division occured happened with the invitation list.