Delaware looking for a new planner

By TOM KANE

HORTONVILLE — The Town of Delaware Town Board must hire a new planner since Carson Helfrich, the current planner, resigned from his position at the board meeting last Monday evening.

The principal candidate for the position is Tom Shepstone of Beach Lake, according to Town of Delaware Supervisor William Moran. Shepstone currently is the planner for around a dozen towns and townships on both sides of the river.

A planner helps the town and planning board make decisions on zoning and other forms of legislation that concerns growth.

Currently, Delaware must make a decision about a cell tower that is to be erected on a hill overlooking the river valley.

Bids will be opened at 11:00 a.m. on August 15 for the new sidewalk project on Main Street in the hamlet of Callicoon. The board is expected to award the bid that evening at its meeting at 7:00 p.m.

In other town matters, the board reaffirmed its order to demolish an unsafe building owned by Ethel Gross. She has 60 days to correct the problems at the site before the town will demolish it and put the bill on her taxes, Moran said.