Dear Editor,
The Shandaken Day Country Fair Committee would like to extend its warmest thanks to the many individuals who helped make this event a true celebration of our community. Plans for next year's "Eagle Day" fair on August 26th are already underway and the committee is ambitious to make it even bigger, better, and more fun. Thanks in particular to those who helped with set up, judging, announcements, emergency services and innumerable other duties (with apologies to any names inadvertently left out): Father Chris, Hope Gilsinger, Matt Persons, Bruce Winchell, Bruce Barry, Gary and Gary Carr, David and Becky Smith, Harry Jameson, Mark Wilsey, the Phoenicia Rotary, Beecher and Wade Smith, Jerry Pearlman, Lisa Benjamin, Dennis Frano, the Big Indian & Oliverea, Shandaken-Allaben, Pine Hill and Phoenicia Fire Companies, Gerry Setchko, Leon Taufield, John Malloy, Linda Burkhardt and Shandaken Theatrical Society, Keith & Giovanna Holmquist, Mike Ricciardella, Dennis Havel, Skip Malley, Tony Lanza, Mary Gormley, Dick Merwin & the Highway Crew, Paul Boutin, Patty Heinz, Stephanie Blackman, Tanya Andre, Tom Hickey, Jay Braman, Jr., Jim Fletcher, Patty
Rudge, Tony Eisenbeil, Sandra & Robert Stanley, Sr., Robin Carey, Jim Holz, Panther Mountain Pickers, Slide Mountain String Band, Second Nature Rock Band, Jim McGrath, Neil Goodrich, Frank Nazzaro and R.J. Stanley. Thanks to all!
Sincerely,
June LaMarca
Chair, Shandaken Day Country Fair

Dear Editor,
I have been reading the regular newsletters of our local politicians that are being mailed out to everyone in town. Are our taxes paying for the printing and postage of these flyers? They all sound great but it seems a little bit like "old boys" self-promoting back slapping. Usually when politicians use the public space to promote their own agenda, such as when the president or governor gives a state of the union or state of the state address, the opposing party is given the opportunity to provide an alternate point of view. This makes for constructive and health dialogue.
When you look at it this way these flyers are less informative and more a form of political advertising being paid for by our taxes. When I pay taxes I assume it will be used for something constructive, like the repair of bridges and roads, not the publication and mailing of self congratulatory, politically motivated flyers. This seems to me to be a misuse of public funds. If our local politicians want a slap on the back, then let them come into town on the weekend and walk around shaking peoples hands. If they want to give out lollipops and candy let them do that, but I'd rather they buy it with their own money.
Tim Slowinski
Woodland Valley, NY

Dear Editor,
I was recently driving up Woodland Valley road and had a memory of Lew Hallenbeck, his saw mill, his mobile home and his rye wisdom. I noticed that there is no inkling of his presence any more on the road.
I remember a newspaper piece about him several years ago but don't remember which paper. I wonder if those who remember him would write in with their recollections. It would feel very good to me to read them.
Jac Conaway
Olivebridge [formerly of Pantherkill]


Dear Editor,
I think the frog in that great Photo by Violet Snow should run for Town Supervisor in Shandaken; see page 17 of the Sept.1st Phoenicia Times.
Robert Jacobson
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
Town of Shandaken voters beware! Are you being fooled? After reading candidate for Highway Superintendant Keith Johnson's letter in the Townsman, (which I found extremely impressive) I looked into the other candidate Kenneth Berryann Sr.'s qualifications. This is when I found out that many voters think Mr. Berryann Sr. already works for the Town. Not so, it is his son Kenneth Berryann Jr. that works for the highway department. Kenneth Berryann Sr. is employed ar Rotron, a company that has nothing to do with road construction. Mr. Berryann Sr. has no, none, zero experience with road construction. The heavy equipment referred to at the caucus is in fact a lathe used in the factory where he is employed full-time.
This brings up another concern. Although I found that the highway superintendent's position is described as a part-time job, I am sure it is more of a 24-7 job and perhaps the job description should be amended. I was told that Mr. Berryann Sr. has no intention of leaving his full-time job. How can Mr. Berryann Sr.do a job where he has no experience? This town has a history of snow and hail storms not to mention disaster floods. What does Mr. Berryann Sr. know about maintaining, grading or rebuilding our roads? What does he know about DEC, DEP, or DOT regulations? Keith Johnson has stated he has experience with all of the above.
Voters again, please do not be fooled, know who you are voting for. Since much of your tax money goes toward our roads we should have a qualified person to supervise the department.
R. Mitchell
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
It's too bad that the standard of living of the people of Phoenicia is soon to be reduced due to the phoney war of massive destruction and the soon to be septic system plus new water regulations. The Stony Clove Creek and the Esopus were never polluting the water, also no one got sick from drinking the spring water. The City of New York Board of Water Supply did not order any changes rather it was a clique in the Federal Government in Washington who ordered all of the changes, some of them are working hard to put the United States under the United Nations.
Ed Ocker
Shandaken, NY

Dear Editor,
I would like to report that the Town of Shandaken has denied me access to a copy of the proposed Masterpage Lease which I recently requested under the Freedom of Information Law. My application for the records was on behalf of our not-for-profit organization Citizens For a Responsible Cell Tower Ordinance, Inc. (see: www.citizensfor.org).
Citizens For believes that “best practices” for localities seeking to enter the "Cell Tower Business" is to open up all contracts with carriers or tower construction companies to the public bidding process, as required by General Municipal Law Sec. 103. This will insure that the locality obtains the best deal for its citizens. The criteria which cell service providers and tower construction companies use in determining siting is not "the best interests of the locality" it is the best interests of those private companies (eg. completing their networks and making profits for their shareholders).
We also believe it is also “best practices”, if not a legal requirement, to hold a Permissive Referendum, under Town Law Sec. 64 (2) when the land the tower is being built on is Town Land.
Current Federal law (The Telecommunications Act of 1996) puts local citizens at a tremendous disadvantage vis-a-vis the Cell Tower Industry by taking away their right to question the health effects of cell towers or cell phones. It is only fair that those local citizens have some input into siting decisions, and that the contracts for the construction of towers be openly bid, to prevent local cronyism, abuse of process and kick-backs.
Our not-for-profit organization, Citizens For, is currently appealing Justice Kavanagh’s 6.25.05 decision which held that a public bid and a permissive referendum were not required under the narrow facts of the Town of Woodstock’s contract with JNS Enterprises, where Justice Kavanagh ruled the contract one for less than $10,000 and a"license" rather than a "lease" . Even if Justice Kavanagh was correct on the law, which we do not believe he was, it would still be better practice for Towns to open the contract to public bidding and subject it to a public referendum.
We urge the good citizens of Shandaken, and for all of Ulster County, to demand an open bidding process for their cell tower contracts and for public referendums when the towers are to be built on Town lands. We also urge local elected State and Federal officials to introduce corrective legislation if, in fact, a "loophole" exists in the current law if it does not already require public bidding and public referendums for these type of adhesion contracts.
Daniel H. Schneider
President, Citizens For a
Responsible Cell Tower Ordinance
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
I was amazed to hear that Bob Cross and his sidekicks had set up a new
political party - The Shandaken Party. Good name. It sort of suggests that only they are for Shandaken, while all the other candidates are for, what, Lithuania?
I saw through this ruse at once: it allows Bob Cross and The Crossettes to
get their names on the ballot TWICE, thereby convincing more gullible voters that "hey, this guy must be popular. I'll vote for him!"
I'm so jealous of this shameless idea that I've decided to start my own political party! I'm going to call it the "Steve Party." (I'm holding my own caucus even as I write this. Hang on. "All in favor of Steve? Aye. Opposed? The person has spoken! Steve's our guy!")
In fact, as long as I'm at it, I think I'll start yet another party and call it the "Alburty Party." And, oh what the heck, why not the "Shandaken Me Too Party!"
Now personally, I'm pretty sick of reading and hearing Dean Gitter's name.
Gitter, Gitter, Gitter. There, I've just said it three more times just to make everybody even sicker of hearing it.
HOWEVER, my first mission will actually be to enlist the support of Dean Gitter because then I'll get a PAC! Maybe he'll call it the "Citizens for Progress." Whoops, that one's taken. Or the "Citizens for Prosperity." No, the Republicans are running on the whole prosperity thing. (They haven't said who this prosperity is meant for. I presume Dean.)
So anyway, I'm going to come out in favor of anything Dean wants. If he wants to turn Belleayre Mountain into a processing plant for uranium enrichment, I'll let him. (Oops! I just spilled the beans about his plans for Mt. Tremper!)
Anyway, Dean will then support me. He'll tell me where his next project will be so I can buy property next to it. And maybe he'll even give my nephew a job. My nephew's a civil engineer. He doesn't know diddly-squat about rain runoff or waste treatment, so he's just perfect for the job. He'll say cheerful things about Dean's projects and people will say "Well,
gosh, he's a civil engineer, so he must know what he's talking about."
And then I'm going to give the Ulster County Townsman a scoop and say that somebody has broken into my gym locker! The Townsman will write inflammatory editorials comparing this to Brad and Jen. Then Dean can stand up at the next Town Board meeting and wave around the copy of the triple-secret mash
note I had in my gym bag that I was going to send to Jane Todd.
I smell a landslide.
Stevan Alburty
Chichester, NY

Dear Editor,
It is repeatedly stated to the public that the Masterpage Communications’ Cell Tower application in the Town of Olive is in Federal Court due to pre-existent zoning violations. This statement is untrue and very misleading. In June of 2000, when Masterpage applied to the town for it’s cell tower, the application was for a Special Use Permit which is required by the Town’s tower law, Local Law No.3 of 2000.
The Special Use Permit application is for a parcel of land located in a RC-10A zoning district where commercial radio, television and other electronic transmission structures are permitted pursuant to section 321.1(m) of the Town of Olive zoning law.
At the property where the Special Use Permit Application was submitted for, there currently exists an unoccupied seasonal hunting cabin with a fully insured right-of-way leading access to it.
The reason why Masterpage was forced to pursue it’s application in the Federal Court is due to the Town Board refusing to act on the application, not a zoning violation. Why would Masterpage, a small business, endure $185,490.00 to date pursuing it’s right under Town law to construct it’s facility if Masterpage was in violation?
The truth is, all the Town Board had to do was approve the Special Use Permit application in which they gladly required Masterpage to pay $28,600.00 of monies for approval, and after the Town’s consultant had deemed Masterpage had justified the need for the facility and recommended the issuance of a permit. Instead of holding up the Masterpage application based on their “Property Use” delay tactic, which was thrown at Masterpage nearly a year after applying, and which again would be superceded by the Special Use Permit, they could have simply approved the Special Use Permit Application when it was deemed complete. Instead, they decided to deliberately hold up the approval process, forcing legal litigation thus depriving the citizens of the Town of Olive of wireless emergency Cellular Phone and two-way radio coverage.
In a recent printed article, regarding the current Nextel application which the Town Board is entertaining and rapidly pursuing while Masterpage is tied up in Federal Court awaiting a ruling, the Town Supervisor is quoted as saying he thinks there is a large population in the Town that want cell tower service.
The factual truth is that the citizens of the Town of Olive could have had cell tower service nearly five (5) years ago if the town Board had just complied with all applicable laws and approved Masterpage’s SPECIAL USE PERMIT. Two Cellular Phone providers have had executed lease agreements with Masterpage for well over four (4) years now due to the site’s unique ability to cover nearly the entire township with ONE tower. The taxpayers need to find out what the Town Board’s real agenda was. What was it? None of this legal litigation would have been necessary if the elected officials of the Town Board, which people elect and entrust with their best interests in mind, would have abided by all applicable laws. Masterpage complied with all applicable laws, why should the Town Board be exempt? Again, it must be stressed that a Special Use Permit supercedes local zoning regulation and only requires a YES vote by the Town Board which has designated themselves as Lead Decision Making Body as per their cell tower law.
Kevin Kellerhouse
Masterpage Communications
West Hurley, NY

Dear Editor,
Do you know how the draft is setup? Well, It's ready to induct right now.
The disaster in the Gulf could provide the need for a draft. If not now, there will be more chances down the road. As a draftee myself, I prefer the draft as more egalitarian than the backdoor draft and the poverty draft we now have. But a military draft today would be much different than the one that got me into Vietnam.
Within a few days of Congressional and then Presidential declaration, the Pentagon draws a lottery of all the days in the current year. Those turning 20 in that year will be the first group eligible to receive the "Greeting" letter, which begins (form SS250), "THIS IS YOUR ORDER TO REPORT FOR AND SUBMIT TO EXAMINATION AND INDUCTION INTO THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES. BY DIRECTION OF THE PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED 1-A (AVAILABLE FOR UNRESTRICTED MILITARY SERVICE) AND ARE DIRECTED TO REPORT..." The location is given and your induction into the
Army is now 10 days away. Depending upon the number of soldiers requested, 21 year olds would be next.
The letter goes on to explain how to get there, what to bring and what will happen if you don't show up - 5yrs prison and/or $250,000 fine max. It also mentions that you have until your induction date - 10 days! - to file for reclassification or postponement. Except for physical or mental
reasons, reclassification means Conscientious Objection and alternative service. College deferment? There are no deferments. If you're a senior you can finish the year.
All young people should consider this scenario carefully and plan for your response. Canada will extradite you. A C.O. claim made with only a few days of thought and no documentation will not be successful. If you want to work on qualifying for Conscientious Objection you need to begin putting your case together now. Google "Conscientious Objection" or email enlist4peace@yahoo.com. You have a lifetime of choices.
David Bruner
Kingston, NY

Dear Editor,
Has Bush lost the ability to lead? Questions like these become relevant in relating Katrina to the whole: did President Bush and senior Administration management show awareness of the received wisdom of the experts...were they "on their brief", as we say? Was the Administration on top of events or playing catch-up? Did the first steps taken by the Administration help or hurt? If "hurt", did those first actions show good judgment, but suffer bad luck?
Once problems arose, how quickly did the President respond, and did that response reflect reality or wish? Did senior Administration officials react to problems with flexibility? Did they recognize problems or deny them?
No doubt you can come up with many such questions. But in the end, adding it all up, here's the big one: can it be said that a foreign government, an ally, or a major multinational corporate interest, based on Katrina (and how it fits into a continuum of performance) should have faith in the decision-making capacity and practical performance capability of the US Government and the Bush Administration?
Chris Nelson
Brooklyn, NY

Dear Editor,
The recent announcement of Charlie Shaw's retirement creates an important vacancy at the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, one that should be filled with great care to assure a sound solid waste management future for Ulster County. The County Legislators must insist that the Agency board undertake a comprehensive search to fill this important position before the year is out.
The credentials for the Executive Director must include someone with excellent personnel and fiscal management skills, who can work well with a variety of people and is a competent and articulate spokesperson. Above all, the person should be honest, highly credible, and have great integrity.
The goal of the Agency, established by its enabling legislation and articulated in its first twenty year plan, is to deliver a safe, reliable, cost-effective and environmentally-sound system that promotes maximum waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and safe management of household hazardous waste. The current system of local transfer stations and a centralized recycling processing facility is an important step in this direction. However, exporting our garbage to western NY consumes huge amounts of fuel, which is subsidized by taxpayer dollars. The price of oil - a non-renewable and highly polluting resource - will only continue to escalate. The solid waste management plan for the next twenty years should therefore revisit the siting of a county-wide landfill in a location that is acceptable to all. It will take a uniquely skilled person to create the collaborative and inclusive process necessary to accomplish this and develop funding to assure its success. The next RRA Director will need to oversee the development of the system that will be in place for the next twenty years or more. The only way to find someone capable of undertaking this challenge is to perform a professional search now for the most competent person available.
The people of Ulster County deserve nothing less.
Manna Jo Greene,
former UCRRA Recycling
Coordinator/Educator
Emilie Hauser,
former UCRRA Waste Reduction,
Hazardous Waste and Recycling Coordinator
Rosendale, NY

Dear Editor,
Grades 9 -12 students and their parents should know about Opt/Out forms, available from your school or on line at www.leavemychildalone.org. This form must be returned to your school office by SEPTEMBER 9 or the school will send all the information they have on the student’s record to the military as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. Even so a student may receive unsolicited phone calls, mailings and offers of gifts from recruiters who have gotten the information elsewhere. The National Education Association, an organization of 2.7 million teachers has taken an official stand opposing this transfer of private student information to military recruiters without explicit written permission from parents.
Parents especially should also be aware that the Army is paying a big name advertising firm – Leo Burnett – more than a billion dollars for recruitment advertising, primarily television commercials (four commercials aired 4000 times) aimed at influencing parents to encourage their children to enlist, ‘help them find their strength’ and with the Army recruiter as a ‘big brother’ benevolently chipping in for college. The military also uses video games that are a sanitized, Tom Clancy version of war that teach our youth that war is a game and fighting is fun, good for you.
The reality is different. Almost 2000 soldiers dead in Iraq, 13000 with serious injuries and more contaminated by toxic chemicals and depleted uranium which produces birth defects in their as yet unborn children. 57% of military personnel receive no educational benefit and only 5% receive the maximum benefit. Promised areas of training are frequently changed because of ‘military need.’ According to the Veterans Administration veterans earn less than their peers who did not serve, make up 1/3 of homeless men and 20% of the prison population.
Prospective enlistees - you have hard questions to ask yourselves and you should always take someone with you when you speak to recruiters. And please do not forget, we must all remember the enormous emotional and spiritual damage in seeing comrades killed and in killing and maiming civilians, destroying their homes and lifelines. Some good websites are www.afsc.org (click on Youth and Militarism), www.veteransforpeace.org, and the above www.leavemychildalone.org.
Good luck young ones and best wishes,
Elaine Hencke
Woodstock, NY

Dear Editor,
Rabies is alive and well in New York State and Ulster County is not immune. News travels fast, and many folks may be aware that a rabid fox recently attacked a dog that was minding his own business in his own back yard.
In fact, last year there were 118 bats, 264 raccoons, 104 skunks, 24 grey fox, 5 red fox, 5 woodchucks, 3 while tail deer, and 1 otter with confirmed rabies in the wildlife population of NYS. Rabies in the domestic population included 19 cats, 2 bovines and 1 dog. The previous year one black bear from Orange County and a pet guinea pig from Madison County made the list. See where I’m going?
It is imperative that we vaccinate our pets against rabies. We live in an area where it is not unlikely that our pets will come into contact with wildlife. Our pets then are exposed to our neighbors, our children, and ourselves. The cost of post exposure treatment for even possible contact with a rabid animal is $1,000. New Yorker’s spent over two million dollars last year for this treatment! The Health Department recommends that even without evidence of a bite, if there was a possibility that contact occurred, treatment is in order. This would include a sleeping person awakening to find a bat in the room, a bat in the room with an unattended child or mentally disabled or intoxicated person. Be safe and be responsible . . . vaccinate your pets and avoid contact with wildlife.
Joanne Rowley
Phoenicia, NY

Dear Editor,
Tired of letting anger consume me, I decided I would spend my Labor Day in action. Though folks around here consider Stamford, NY a Republican stronghold with little hope of political discourse, I decided to do a non-scientific survey/protest and see for myself. I was surprised with the results. With a hand made sign (from a $.49 piece of poster board) I walked down Main Street (respecting each billowing flag) from one end of the village to the other again and again for several hours. The sign simply read “Impeach Bush Now” on the front and “Save Our Democracy” on the back. Though I was a bit concerned for my safety, being alone, my fear subsided when the first three of the hundreds of cars that passed, honked and waved in support. Others turned their eyes away. I got two “f-you’s” and one “get a haircut”, and all three were delivered from white men on Harleys. On the total insanity side, two couples (whose intelligence I won’t judge) suggested “blowing up all of Iraq.” Other than that the thumbs-up, hoots and hollers and honks were very frequent. One concerned young man actually volunteered to carry my sign for a bit while I took a short break in the shade. Others asked if I had more signs. Two people took my photo, and several made U-turns just to tell me how proud they were of my courage. I tell you this because I can no longer support silence and apathy. The time to act is now and each of us needs to know that there are others out there, like us who are sick and tired of being duped and abused by the powers that be. Yes, I have blisters and a pounding headache, but knowing I am not alone has sparked a glimmer of hope. Too much is at stake to hold our tongues now! Speak out, please.
David J. Turan
Stamford, NY

Dear Editor,
As I write this letter the water continues to rise in the historic city of New Orleans, and our hearts go out to the people whose homes and lives are being washed away. With the death toll rising at an alarming rate it seems that all we can do at this point is watch the destruction unfold.
At the time I write this we have no idea how much worse the situation will get and how many more lives will be lost.
The best we can do, as a nation, is to donate money, send needed supplies and give support to the refugees of this terrible disaster.
The tsunami-like effects of Hurricane Katrina has been made worse by the failure of the levees that were designed to prevent this kind of disaster. The devastation in Mississippi is overwhelming to say the least, but as I hear the news about Biloxi it seems some of the reports had been focusing on the monetary loss of $500,000.00 a day to the state coffers due to the destruction of the casinos located right on the shores of the gulf coast.
I wonder if the powers-that-be assured the residents of New Orleans that the levees and massive pumps would not only protect the city from this kind of flooding but allow low-lying areas to be developed. The levees were an engineering marvel, but the bottom line is that they failed and the unthinkable has occurred and many lives were lost.
I wonder if the politicians and developers in Mississippi who put their states financial security in the success of the casinos assured their citizens that this would be a windfall for them. Now the state that became dependent on the casino income is left with nothing.
I think about the processes and public hearings that allowed these choices to be made, resulting in destruction, death, and financial ruin. I wonder what resistance was raised in regard to the environmental and economic impact that this development would have. Were the citizens sold a bill of goods convincing them that man could control the elements?
We in Shandaken are reminded of our own devastating floods which pale in comparison to what is happening to Katrina’s aftermath. But there are parallels that can be drawn and lessons to be learned about how we proceed in the planning of our own community to minimize effects of the natural disasters that we are vulnerable to here.
I think about the public hearing processes that have been held in the past couple of years which seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Ears that only hear words of expansion, development and financial windfalls, without regard to those who warn of environmental degradation which can allow natural disaster to be exponentially worse due to major altercation of our mountains and streams.
Imagine our past floods that we have had if it had rained just another 24 or 48 hours, or if the snow pack were even deeper. Now imagine if a major development were built on our mountains, which have clear cut areas large enough for golf courses and parking lots allowing that much more run off into our already swollen streams.
Do the assurances that we have heard at our own public hearings echo the assurances that the people of New Orleans and Biloxi heard?
They are waist deep now in those assurances.
Shandaken and the Catskills need to make choices that can minimize, not maximize the scope of a disaster.
Those choices mean choosing leaders in our government who have the foresight to plan and grow but also have the ability to weigh the negative effects that some development can bring.
We as citizens must make that choice.
Bruce Barry
Chichester, NY