Volunteers with a vision

By TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG — A group of residents who earlier in the year volunteered to form a visioning sub-group in their towns met on Saturday, May 1 to receive training that would make them more effective group leaders.

The community sub groups were formed as an outgrowth of the six-part series of visioning meetings held during February, March and April. During those meetings residents prioritized important issues centering around the growth that is coming and how our communities could prepare for it. The sub-groups are exploring ways to deal with those priorities on the community level.

Some of the important issues chosen were protecting water quality, conserving open spaces, preserving the rural character of the area and protecting private property rights.

A session, conducted by John Jose of the Pike County Conservation District, focused on water quality and groundwater. Using a unique demonstration model, a cut-away of levels of earth, Jose showed how ground water moves and how a contaminant from one source can rapidly pervade an entire watershed area.

In another session, Carlson Helfrich, a planner from Paupack, PA, spoke on how governments are structured and how they may differ in New York and in Pennsylvania. He especially focused on planning boards in the two states.

“Planning boards are important places for you to begin since all development in a town begins in the planning boards,” Helfrich said.

This session was important to the groups since they all intend to attend town meetings, especially planning board meetings.

The Town of Delaware group is conducting an in-depth study of the Pegasus electricity project along the Delaware River and will meet at the Delaware Community Center on May 13 at 7:00 p.m.

The Damascus group is surveying as many residents as possible in their town to learn what residents care most about and then will set their goals accordingly. They will meet on May 13 at the Damascus Community Center at 7:00 p.m.

The Lumberland group has joined with Highland to consolidate efforts to beautify their two towns.

The Berlin Township group aims to support the activities of the Berlin Township Community Center and attend all township meetings.

“We held the meeting to give the volunteers needed assistance and to provide them with some of the tools they will need as they move forward,” said Sue Currier, a member of the Visioning Committee and the executive director of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy. “We want them to be an effective force in their communities.”

For more information call 845/252-7414 or visit upperdelaware.com.