TRR photo by David Hulse The Highland Town Board accepted the resignations of Town Clerk MaryAnn Barnes and Highway Superintendent Jim McKean. (Click for larger image)

Barnes, McKean leave Highland service

By DAVID HULSE

ELDRED, NY — Highland lost two elected officials and 26 years of experience on December 10 when, “with regret,” the town board accepted the resignations of 18-year incumbent MaryAnn Barnes and Highway Superintendent Jim McKean, who has served in the post for the past eight years.

Barnes said she’s leaving to spend more time traveling and with her growing grandchildren.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but now it’s time to move on and do what I want to do,” she said.

Her colleagues showered her with testimonials. Town Attorney and former long-time Supervisor Andrew Boyar said that among the dozens of town clerks he has worked with in his 30 years of government service here and on Long Island, “I’ve never encountered a town clerk who did a better job than MaryAnn.”

Barnes had submitted her resignation, effective on December 31, in November, but the board initially refused to accept it, Supervisor Allan Schadt said.

Schadt presented her with a several gifts from colleagues and a certificate of appreciation.

Commenting on both officials, Schadt said that in his 14 years in town service, Highland currently is running “the best I’ve seen. We’ve had a well-oiled machine.”

McKean’s resignation, effective immediately, was presented in lieu of his monthly report and came as a surprise.

His statement said he was leaving with regret because he recently relocated his residence to a house several hundred feet across the town line in Lumberland.

He said that with a growing family, he could not pass up the bargain offered in the purchase of his new home and the law would not allow him to continue in his position if he is a non-resident.

He wrote that he was leaving “with his head held high,” that “the crew and I” accomplished a great deal since 1993 and that he was proud to have had his name associated with Town of Highland Highway Department.

Doreen Hanson has been training with Barnes and will assume her office as an appointee.

Deputy Highway Superintendent Daryl Barnes has taken on the superintendent’s duties since McKean’s departure. The board did not announce any plans to fill the vacancy for the remaining year in McKean’s term.

Both offices are up for re-election next November.

In other business on December 10 the board:

• heard Councilman Bob Burrow announce that he will be preparing grant applications to devote a $9,375 state grant for a beautification project at the five corners in Barryville;
• appointed Dan Isaacs to the Highland Lake Fire Department;
• heard Chief Constable Bob Maas report that Constable Marc Anthony’s investigation had led to the arrest of three people charged in several recent burglaries in town;
• approved a resolution in support of a Sullivan County Empire Zone revision application including designations for the town;
• approved Ascalona Campgrounds application to adopt a two-mile section of Route 97 for litter collection;
• accepted a $1,026 bid, the highest of three submitted, from Dell Computers to provide and service a computer for the tax collector; and
• appointed Jim Hanson to a vacancy on the Board of Assessment Review.