Eldred board approves 2001-02 budget

ELDRED — The Eldred Central School Board of Education on April 19 approved an $8.92 million budget for the 2001-02 school year.

The new budget has 4.25 percent increase, but District Superintendent Candace Mazur said it was basically a rollover of this year, with the inclusion of one teaching assistant position at the elementary school and one K-12 counselor, who will be quartered at the secondary school.

A separate proposition will address the purchase of three school buses over the next two years.

Mazur said the tax impact of the budget is still unknown as state aid figures and the disposition of the district’s application for a certified taxing district for Lumberland and Highland still have not been resolved.

Incumbent Board member Marsha Hunter is facing a challenge from Elaine Kuhn for a five-year board seat.

The budget comes before the voters on May 15.

Knapp is Lumberland Senior of the Year

GLEN SPEY — Supervisor John LiGreci on April 11 named Lumberland Tax Collector Phyllis Knapp as Lumberland’s candidate for the county’s annual Senior Citizen of the Year competition. “Phyllis never says no when you ask her for help,” the supervisor commented.

Bonacic announces ‘Main Street’
and chamber funding

MONTICELLO — Sullivan County received a boost for its downtown renovation and tourism programs on April 23 when state Senator John Bonacic (R-40) announced $125,000 in new state funding.

Of the new grants, $100,000 will go to the Sullivan County Division of Planning and Community Development’s ongoing “Main Street Center” program for renovating storefront facades.

An additional $25,000 will go to the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce to fund purchase of four ATM-like tourism information kiosks. The kiosks will provide 24-hour tourism information, event calendars, restaurant and lodging information.

Aqueduct trail clean up is Friday

MINISINK FORD — The National Park Service (NPS) is sponsoring the fourth annual D & H Canal clean up day at the Roebling Bridge beginning Friday morning, April 27.

Volunteers will be continuing work on a towpath trail along the bank of the Upper Delaware that travels under the former aqueduct and along the ruins of two historic canal locks near the national landmark bridge. Building on previous accomplishments of the past three years, volunteers will be clearing brush and extending the path of wood chips along the historic canal. For more information, contact the NPS in Beach Lake at 570/729-8251.

Refreshments and lunch will be provided.