The River Reporter Online - Letters to the Editor

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The River Reporter welcomes letters on all subjects from its readers. They must be signed and include the correspondent's phone number. The correspondent's name and town will appear at the bottom of each letter; titles and affiliations will not, unless the correspondent is writing on behalf of a group.

Letters are printed as they are received, or at the discretion of the editor, and without correction to grammar or spelling. It is requested they be limited to 500 words; correspondents may be asked to cut longer letters. Deadline is 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

Your May 16-22 edition contains a front-page story written by Tom Kane and a letter to the editor written by Robert Sturdevant, which disseminates timely false information to readership headed to a May 21 election.

Sturdevant’s letter claims that a BOCES study shows an increase in student enrollment during the next 10 years. For the record, state law requires a school district to provide proof that the construction of new space is necessary. One component of that proof is the submission of a 10-year enrollment projection by a certified engineer. The enrollment study that was officially submitted to the Department of Education for the SW building projects shows a projected enrollment decrease of 20 percent over the next 10 years.

The sub-headline of Kane’s story, “Candidate asks the Board of Regents to withhold building aid,” is categorically untrue. Nowhere in the body of a letter that I wrote to the Board of Regents do I make such an absurd request.

My letter, and a similar one that was sent to Commissioner Mills, prompted an investigation which has now clearly and incontrovertibly established that the sole purpose of the renovation of our existing buildings and the construction of a fourth building, is to accommodate the educational needs and expense of the industrial growth of the eastern side of Sullivan County—specifically casino gambling.

Our community has continuously been asked to make financial and academic sacrifices for these construction projects. Contrary to Kane’s inaccurate account of my letter or intentions, the response to my inquiry to State Rd. has clarified the true purpose of the merger, the building projects and for whom our sacrifices are being made.

The timing of the printing of such inaccurate information challenges the journalistic integrity of your newspaper.

The Sullivan West at Narrowsburg Parent Teacher Student Organization would like to thank the following businesses for their support of Staff Appreciation Week. The businesses are: Milanville General Store, One Stop Hardware, Carini’s Pizza, Lakeview Luncheonette, Pete’s Pub, Heinle’s, Jeffersonville Bank, Cochecton Oil, Callicoon Theater, Tom’s Bait and Tackle, Landers River Trips, Gasko & Meyer, Napa, Big Eddy Diner, Kathy’s Beauty Salon, Narrowsburg Motors, Pizza Hut, Brown Eyed Susan’s Gift Shop, Charlie’s Barber Shop, Beach Lake Pizza, The River Reporter, Pecks Market and Rasmussen’s Furniture.

It is only with their support that we are able to continue to make our school a great place.

We’d like to once again, thank them for another successful Staff Appreciation Raffle.

Lisa Lander, Staff Appreciation Week Chairman
Sullivan West P.T.S.O. at Narrowsburg

Many good people in our community have become victims of manipulative practices by Geisinger Health Plan. They received letters advising them to discontinue their association with Wayne Memorial Hospital and its network of physicians because Geisinger will no longer pay for services they receive locally.

It is true that Wayne Memorial Hospital notified Geisinger of its intention to terminate its contract with the health plan. This was done in order to bring Geisinger to the negotiating table and to compel Geisinger to pay claims on time, according to state law. However, Geisinger has continued to violate the law with its late payments, refused to negotiate in good faith and now is both threatening and frightening our patients, neighbors and friends with termination of services.

We wish to assure our community that your physicians and hospital will not abandon you. We will not allow Geisinger to force you to commute many miles for healthcare services we can provide locally.

The local physicians and Wayne Memorial Hospital are prepared to negotiate with Geisinger. These negotiations are not about charging more or getting paid more than our current contract provides. They are about receiving fair compensation in the appropriate and legal time frame, so that we can continue to operate at reasonable rates and pay our own bills in a timely manner.

We ask you to call Geisinger at 800/447-4000. Tell them you are a citizen of this community and that you expect to receive your medical services here. Tell them you care about your health and safety and you have the right to receive quality care from the doctors and hospital you trust we know count on us.

Jon K. Sternburg, M.D., Vice President,
Upper Delaware Area Physician Association
Narrowsburg, NY

On Thursday, January 17, at the Sullivan County Legislature’s General Services Committee meeting, the subject of how to retain the young, quality people in Sullivan County was broached again. The outcome of this meeting was summed up by Legislature chair Rusty Pomeroy who is reported to have said “There are inequities in the system. We should do a survey on salaries. Maybe we can reach out to Ulster County. They did a similar thing.” Which reminds me of a story I read a long time ago.

Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a place not too far from here, a group of reportedly wise men would meet for lunch every day. They would discuss issues of wide range over their mid-day meal and each would offer the input of their great wisdom. A young lad who was hired as a “broom-pusher” would listen intently, for he wished to become educated and hoped someday to be as wise as these men.

The question on this particular day was, “How many teeth are in a horse’s mouth?” Each wise man, in turn, had to admit that he did not know the answer. They all agreed to research the matter, using their great intelligence and great books and to come back on the morrow with the answer.

As agreed, the men gathered for their mid-day meal and each had to profess that they had done diligent research on the question, but had been unable to find the answer. They agreed to try again and to approach the question once more the next day.

Alas, to the chagrin of all, each and every one had to admit they could not answer the question as to the number of teeth in a horse’s mouth. They agreed that this was a question that could not be answered and would remain one of the great mysteries of the universe.

At this point, the young lad, who had been listening with great interest to the on-going debate, spoke up in a faint voice. “Why don’t you go out to the stable and count the teeth in the horse’s mouth?” Instead of taking this most obvious suggestion, the group of wise men all rose up from their seats as one, took the young lad by the back of the neck and threw him out of the room.

Getting back to the question of why young people leave Sullivan County, the most obvious source of the answers would be to ask the young people. Send a questionnaire to each school and ask the young people. Of course, we could ask a chicken why it crosses the road. Or, of course, since Rusty Pomeroy is leaving Sullivan County, we could ask him and apply his answer to the reason why young people leave Sullivan County.

Here is another issue. What will happen to the tax base of the properties within a one-or-two-mile area of the proposed foam factory if it comes or another factory that might be a polluter to the area of White Mills?

If there is a 12-year free base tax to the buyer, will the surrounding properties get their taxes lowered, because of the value of the properties going downhill?

What happens if county and school district taxes are lowered for properties of less value; would the other property owners have their taxes raised to make up for the lowered taxes and the 12-year tax-free businesses?

The Palmyra Township Supervisors of Wayne County never thought of that when they were in their rush to please the Lackawaxen Honesdale Shippers Association, WIDCO and the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce; taxes—taxes—taxes!

Lately many local newspaper articles have centered on the proposed Flexible Foam Factory in White Mills. As more of these articles unfold, we wonder if the area business interests outweigh the concern for the community’s well-being. Concerned citizens asking pertinent questions at the township meetings about preserving health, environment and standard of living have been labeled as “an angry mob.”

Being members of the audience, we cannot see how the organized interaction that occurred can be placed in such a category. Looking back on the history of the United States, “an angry mob” constituted actions that far exceeded voicing an opinion contradictory to the business interests. Could this include the 1,064 individual signatures presented to the township on April 22, 2002 against the proposed Flexible Foam factory and such groups as the Green Party, High Sierra Club, Lackawaxen River Conservancy, Lackawaxen supervisors and Upper Delaware Council? In our opinion, we [the community] are being asked to sacrifice our health and way of life to ensure that the Lackawaxen Honesdale Shippers Association can gain control of the railroad from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

As we read through the sworn depositions taken March 11, at the Palmyra Township meeting and the DEP permit submitted by Flexible Foam on March 27, the inconsistencies between the two are very alarming. Furthermore the high paying jobs this company would bring is now reported to be approximately between $7.50 to $9 an hour. Are the potential risks to our economy, tourism, property values, waterways, air quality and health worth a facility of this nature?

Recently an older couple stopped in to talk about this issue. They asked why the Lackawaxen Honesdale Shippers Association would bring such a potentially harmful company to our area. They questioned how the railroad could be in the dire when they believe that the railroad receives an abundance of funding in the form of grants. This conversation had us asking many questions:

2. Is anyone in the nonprofit organizations of WIDCO or the Lackawaxen Honesdale Shippers Association collecting a salary, receiving benefits or gaining compensation in any form?

3. Can the public, through an independent party, review the financial situation of these nonprofit organizations for the last 10 years?

4. When will another company like Flexible Foam be sought out and where will it be placed in our area?

Our economy is primarily tourist driven. How many families will travel on the rail along the Lackawaxen when factories with stacks, such as Flexible Foam, are the highlights of the scenic tour? If we truly want to preserve the tourism, economics and train rides of this area, then the quality of the area should be preserved. We believe that industrial development along the railroad and the Lackawaxen River will ultimately destroy both the economy and railroad, leaving our area absent of both lucrative jobs and a good quality of life.

If leaping to unwarranted conclusions were an Olympic event, B. Schorr would surely be a serious contender. Mr. Schorr, in his undisciplined harangue, in addition to missing the point, tells us, incorrectly, what I admit, what it is that I wish, who I embrace and then to imagine that I accuse and threaten people.

The answer to what I surmise is his central question, however, is simple. The study: “Business Profitability vs. Social Profitability: Evaluating Industries with Externalities, The Case of Casinos” by Grinols and Mustard, that I refer to in citing, “two dollars out, for each dollar the state may derive from casinos,” is from a peer reviewed, professional, journal, Managerial and Decision Economics, published in 2001 which can be accessed at, unlike “studies” paid for by gambling interests, a study published in a peer-reviewed journal must be reviewed and accepted by some of the best minds in economics.

Regarding the most egregious “misunderstanding” Schorr expresses, I would point out that the eight percent of casino patrons (that’s 8,000 people out of 100,000). Those are people, Mr. Schorr, individual personal tragedies, not just numbers, who contribute 40+ percent of casinos’ income are but the ones whose symptoms warrant psychiatric classification. Too many others make their own lives and the lives of others, very difficult indeed. Which leads me to express, once again, my primary reason for opposing casinos. Respectable studies show that the problems associated with casinos, including crimes—about eight percent higher in counties with casinos—(Careful Mr. Schorr, I can cite the source), not unexpectedly, are more abundant the closer one lives to a casino.

I, for one, do not look forward to my friends and neighbors becoming victims of increased crime—or to paying for gamblers’ other problems—which every single taxpayer in New York will do, if casinos arrive. It is what The New York Times was referring to in saying, “In the end, Mr. Pataki’s casinos will cost New York far more than they could ever deliver...” Perhaps that too is something Mr. Schorr considers a threat. It is, rather, a clear-headed and credible warning that should be carefully considered by each of us.

One hundred and twenty one years ago this month, on May 21, 1881, a 60-year-old woman founded the American Red Cross. Her name was Clara Barton and she almost immediately redefined the Red Cross—initially an impartial organization for the relief of military wounded—by adding disaster relief to its services.

More than a century later, disaster relief remains the hallmark of the American Red Cross. Each year, the victims of more than 67,000 disasters nationwide get help from some 1,000 Red Cross chapters like ours.

Locally, in the past year, the Wayne Pike Chapter has helped local families when they have lost their homes due to fires and other natural disasters. With the help of local volunteers, our goal is to take care of the immediate needs of people affected by fires, floods, tornadoes or other natural calamities—make sure they have a temporary place to stay, food to eat, clothes to wear so that they can go to work or school and take the next steps forward.

All the assistance they receive is free of charge, a gift from generous donors to our Disaster Relief Fund. Help can’t wait for headlines; we maintain this fund because we need to be able to respond before we know whether or not we will receive contributions for a particular disaster.

As the Red Cross celebrates its birthday, we at the Wayne Pike Chapter want to thank all those in our community to make this magnificent system of neighbor helping neighbor possible, our wonderful volunteers, our generous donors, the many local businesses who support our efforts in so many ways and local emergency services personnel who are often our partners in help.

I wish to openly express opposition to any blanket changes to the Town of Tusten zoning laws. Our current zoning laws have been well established for many years now. I believe that making arbitrary and capricious changes to our zoning laws is unwarranted, if not improper. To make such blanket changes to the current zoning laws would result in changes to long established land use practices and/or possibilities. The suggested changes would condemn property usage without compensation. We have established mechanisms in place to control “sprawl,” enforcement of current zoning laws through the building inspector, planning board, zoning board, zoning board of appeals, and the town board.

The proponents of zoning changes clearly want to limit new investments and tax bases for our town. As a resident for many years, I believe the town should be doing more to encourage new businesses and not looking to push them away. To make such wide sweeping changes the few have voiced is wrong and unjust.