State questions village police officials

MONTICELLO — The state attorney general’s office is reportedly investigating two Village of Monticello police officials.

Investigators are said to be looking in to allegations that Chief Michael Brennan and Sgt Michael Bunce operated a private business on village time, serving civil court papers and used municipal computers to coordinate that business.

Mayor Gary Sommers and Village Manager Richard Sush confirmed the investigation to the media, but state officials did not initially comment August 1, when their investigation became apparent during local interviews.

Fuel truck inferno

MONTAGUE — An early morning fuel tanker truck fire and explosion prompted responses from a score of agencies from the tri-state area August 1.

The 7,500 gallon tanker ruptured when it skidded into an old foundation off Clove Road, Route 653. The resulting explosion reportedly was audible in downtown Port Jervis. The burning spill spread some 500 feet along the roadside.

No residents were injured and driver Tomasz Jasinski, 27, was said to have escaped with only minor injuries.

The 6:00 a.m. accident prompted a day-long cleanup operation.

Road will close for bridge repairs

COCHECTON — Repairs to the county bridge on County Road (CR) 116, also known as Pump Station Road, will require a temporary road closure starting on August 14.

The repairs are expected to go on for about two weeks while the county Department of Public Works upgrades the bridge over Mitchell Pond Brook. The project is part of the DPW’s ongoing bridge-repair program.

The bridge is 1.4 miles east of Route 97 and 1.9 miles west of Lake Huntington. While repairs are underway, traffic will be routed along a marked detour using Route 97 and CR 113 , the Narrowsburg Road and CR 114, the Newburgh Turnpike.

Federal court dismisses lawsuit
by former DPW employee

MONTICELLO — A U.S. District Court has dismissed sexual harassment and wrongful termination charges brought by a former Sullivan County Department of Public Works employee.

According to a statement from the Office of Sullivan County Attorney Ira Cohen, in a July 22 decision, Justice Jed S. Rakoff dismissed Christine Koss’ charge of wrongful termination, characterizing it as frivolous.

Koss was said to have refused to return to work, following a 19-month maternity leave, without being promoted.

Rakoff also found no support for Koss’ charge of inappropriate language by her immediate supervisor.

Schweiker proclaims special legislative session on property tax reform

HARRISBURG — Governor Mark Schweiker on August 5 released a proclamation for the upcoming special legislative session on property tax reform.

The special session, prompted by petition from the Legislature’s members, is the first of its kind in state history.

“This proclamation gives the General Assembly the maximum amount of flexibility, as intended by the legislative petition, to begin addressing the complex issue of local property tax reform,” Schweiker said in a statement to the media.

“I look forward to working with the General Assembly as we begin laying the groundwork to create a fair and balanced tax system for all Pennsylvanians.”

Schweiker has called for the special session to begin Sept. 4.

Pataki announces technical assistance grants available

ALBANY — Governor George Pataki last week announced that approximately $400,000 in Technical Assistance (TA) grants will be available to eligible communities across New York State through the Governor’s Office for Small Cities (GOSC) Community Development Program.

The TA grants are provided to help communities prepare strategic plans for community development. Pataki said, “With the technical assistance, communities are able to develop specific plans to promote economic growth, improve public works and provide better housing opportunities for their residents.”

TA grants allow communities to apply for up to $25,000 to use in developing a strategic plan to identify steps to achieve specific community development goals and objectives.

The application deadline for the TA grants is September 3, 2002. Applications are available by writing or calling the Governor’s Office for Small Cities at Agency Building 4, 6th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223, 518/474-2057. Applications may also be downloaded on the GOSC website at www.nysmallcities.com.

WalMart center goes to Orange County

MIDDLETOWN — Mamakating officials reportedly turned down the WalMart distribution warehouse project that Governor George Pataki announced on July 31 in the Orange County Town of Wallkill.

To be completed in 2004, the $48.5 million project will bring 1000 new warehouse jobs, plus 600 building trades jobs during construction of the 1.2 million square-foot facility off Route 17K.