RR photo by David Hulse Sullivan County Partnership president Mike Sullivan before the Sullivan County Legislature. (Click for larger image)

By DAVID HULSE

MONTICELLO - Gene Young might have figured he'd have a snowball's chance in a very warm place last Thursday, but he said his neighbors had similar worries about a new distribution center project and no local official would voice them.

A resolution of endorsement was on the county legislature's agenda on October 19 for the multimillion dollar Kohl's regional distribution center project which is expected to bring 900 new jobs to Sullivan County.

"I encourage my two area legislators [Kathy LaBuda (D-2) and Gordon MacKinnon (D-4)] to vote no and I'd urge the others to do the same," said Young.

Young questioned the salaries that have been discussed for the new jobs and whether the project would be union or non-union. He was concerned what an extra 18 trucks passing on the roads every hour would do to the environment. "They're not all going to use 209. Some are going to use 17 and go through the village." What about the smoke and fumes, he asked. He charged that laws against this type of environmental misuse are in place and go unenforced.

Leni Binder (D-7) responded by noting that Route 209 for all other projects along its length could similarly increase local traffic without the economic benefits.

She responded to environmental concerns by amending the original endorsement by adding language advising all oversight agencies to comply with all provisions of the state's environmental quality review act, which they are required by law to do in any event. The amended resolution passed unanimously.

	TRR photo by David Hulse A Partnership-provided overview of the projected warehouse and mushroom farm properties near Wurtsboro. (Click for larger image)

After the vote, Sullivan County Partnership president Mike Sullivan challenged some of Young's assertions, saying the highest volume truck traffic figure he used would only apply to the first 50 days of construction.

Sullivan said the project would be a union job, that village streets would not be used by trucks and that Kohl's shifts would be arranged to begin and end during hours when school buses were not on the streets.

Sullivan was optimistic about other local support for the project including environmental groups. Despite his optimism, the Basha Kill Area Association reportedly has called for a state-conducted environmental review to supplement extensive reviews already completed.

Following the vote, Pomeroy commended Sullivan and the Partnership for their efforts on "a good project. I'm sure everybody agrees."

Lost in the controversy over the Kohl's project is a second agricultural production project: a mushroom production plant by a Japanese firm, Yukiguni Maitake. The plant will employ up to 250 workers on a Route 209 site adjoining Kohl's at the Wurtsboro Airport.