TRR photo by Mary Greene NARROWSBURG - Chilly temperatures and occasional rain did not deter crowds from this year's Oktoberfest celebration. A Lion's Club fundraiser, the festival was held indoors at Lander's Campground and drew German culture enthusiasts from as far away as Massachusetts and Staten Island. (Click for full story)

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO - With revenues increasing faster than rising appropriations, Sullivan County's $152.6 million tentative 2001 budget maintains the county's recent zero-tax growth goal in the new levy, while dispensing $15 million in new appropriations.

County Finance Commissioner Richard LaCondre prepared the budget, following the April departure of former County Manager Jonathan Drapkin and before Dan Briggs was hired. He said Sullivan's financial picture looks pretty good. In a statement accompanying the October 5 release of the budget, LaCondre listed the recent bond rating improvement, which will reduce the cost of municipal borrowing, growing sales tax revenues and increasing proceeds from county tax sales as part of a "continuing positive economic trend."

As TRR reported earlier, Sullivan is budgeting on a multiyear basis, with rotating divisional spending initiatives so that all departments get an emphasis sometime in a four-year period, and legislators don't have to sort through inflated "wish list" budgets every year.