Road names dominate board meeting

By CHRIS CONROY

BETHEL, NY — A proposed road name change led to a full house at the July 24 Bethel Town Board meeting.

“Whoever made the suggestion should be chastised,” said Frank Goodman.

Goodman and other White Lake Homes residents turned out en masse to dispute a suggestion made on behalf of the White Lake Homes Homeowners Association to change the name of West Shore Drive to Circle Drive. West Shore Drive is the main road that runs, in a circle, through the nearly 50-year-old development. It is also located just off of West Shore Road.

According to B.J. Gettle, a member of the Bethel Volunteer Ambulance Corps, there is duplication in the house numbers on the two roads and leads to confusion when responding to emergency calls through the 911 system.

Paul Kessler, vice president of the homeowners association and the person behind the Circle Drive suggestion, apologized for any ire and said, “The important thing was getting people into the area.”

Since Sullivan County launched its enhanced 911 system two years ago, road name changes have flowed through the town board. By design, the enhanced 911 system pinpoints the location of a residential emergency call by referencing the caller’s phone number with the physical address. When dispatchers relate this information to emergency responders, there is sometimes confusion when similar road names are involved.

“This isn’t the only place this is happening,” said Sullivan County 911 coordinator David Kimmel. Many communities are dealing with road name issues, including Black Lake and Smallwood.

In the case of White Lake Homes, the town board suggested that the issue be taken back to the residents of the development. Once consensus as to a course of action is gained there, the town board will revisit the road name issue.

The beat of another Drum (Street)

In another road-related matter, the board heard from Drum Street resident Dorren Brennan, who questioned the board about what action she or they could take to keep access to her home clear. She presented pictures that showed a vehicle parked three-quarters of the way into the road. The vehicle, she said, belongs to her neighbor, Frank Gretzle.

Gretzle also happens to own the road. Literally.

As part of the town’s practice of selling paper streets, which were converted to taxable and saleable properties by Sullivan County about a decade ago, he bought the street. How Drum Street, which was an official town road, ended up with a tax number is still unclear.

“You have a legal right to travel the road,” Bethel Supervisor Allan Scott told Brennan.

At a previous meeting, the board had resolved to send out official notification to both Gretzle and Brennan of that right. According to Town Clerk Rita Sheehan, notice was sent out. Brennan said she has never seen it.

Brennan took issue with the Autumn Lane sign at the end of the road. She said it is more prominent than the official town sign designating the road as Drum Street and that the road is private. This, she feels, could make it very difficult for emergency services personnel to find her house.

The board resolved to send out notification of the legal need to keep the road clear of obstruction.