Borough considers event fees

MILFORD BOROUGH, PA — Organizers of the Black Bear Film Festival and other such events might have to pay a fee to Milford Borough soon.

Citing the Black Bear Film Festival and the Music Festival as examples, Borough Council President Matt Osterberg said on February 7 that, “it shouldn’t be up to borough residents to foot the bill for these events. I’m not saying we don’t like the events.” Osterberg added, “I think they’re important but we need to find out what it’s costing us to put three or four policemen on duty for an extended period of time, overtime.”

Borough Secretary Lizanne Samuelson elaborated, “The difference is that we don’t charge any non-profit group for recreational use applications. So we pay for the advertisement [of the hearing], we pay for all our time.”

The council members agreed that the borough would have to estimate projected costs to the municipality and charge not-for-profit groups accordingly. — DAWN McELLIGOTT

Siptroth claims victory

DELAWARE WATER GAP, PA — Democrat John Siproth defeated Republican Diane Hannan in a February 8, special election to fill the vacant 189th district seat in the Pennsylvania House.

Hannan, making her first run for public office, won in the five precincts in Pike County’s Lehman, Delaware, Porter and Dingman townships, but Siproth took 12 of 14 Monroe precincts and compiled an apparent 3,452 to 3,243 victory in unofficial totals.

At 58, Siproth is a lifelong Monroe County resident and a Smithfield Township Supervisor from 1990 until 2005, who served as Supervisors’ Chairman from 2000 until 2005.

In a post-election statement, the newly elected state representative said, “I want to reaffirm my commitment to all of the 189th, including the residents in Pike County. Pike was an important part of this election, and I stand by my promise to serve them as their next representative, just as I will serve the residents of Monroe.”

Village candidate challenged by Hatch Act

MONTICELLO, NY — A federal attorney has notified Democratic village trustee candidate Gordon Jenkins that he risks violating the Hatch Act, the federal law that bans public employees from running for elected office if they work for an agency that receives federal funding.

Jenkins, who owns a retail business in Monticello, is also employed as a state corrections officer at the prison in Woodbourne.

Although a Democrat, the party initially endorsed Conservative Jeff Sternberg for the position, but Jenkins forced a primary to get on the ballot. In a statement Jenkins charged that Democratic and Conservative party officials singled him out for humiliation, “at any cost, because I won’t play their game.”

A third candidate in the race is Republican David Rosenberg.

State releases some summer storm money

ALBANY, NY — Sullivan County and five of its town and village agencies last week received more than $160,000 in state and federal emergency aid payments related to repairs made after flooding in August and September of 2004.

The county received $33,113.28. Payments to local governments included $65,651.49 to the Town of Liberty, $9,703.24 to the Town of Mamakating, $2,892.75 to the Town of Highland, $48,325.13 to the Village of Liberty and $1,615.86 to the Wurtsboro Fire Department.

In Delaware County, payments included, $1,609.64 to the East Branch Fire Department, $74,803.57 to the Town of Colchester, $14,574.69 to the Town of Hancock, $2,221.90 to the Village of Hancock and $25,255.84 to the Town of Masonville.

Orange County received $48,436.47 and its Town of Minisink got $2,146.03.

The overall release included more than $6.4 million in federal and state payments to 190 municipalities and entities in the continuing recovery effort.

IRS names Hondas for clean-fuel vehicle deduction

WASHINGTON, DC — The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says you can save some tax money with the purchase of one of three cars they have certified for a clean-fuel vehicle deduction.

For the 2005 model year, the IRS has named the Honda Insight, the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Honda Accord Hybrid as being eligible. This certification means that buyers may claim a tax deduction of up to $2,000 on Form 1040.

Under the recently signed Working Families Relief Act of 2004, the clean-burning fuel deduction is up to $2,000 for certified vehicles first put into service in 2004 and 2005 and $500 for vehicles placed in service in 2006. No deduction will be allowed after 2006.

Looking for volunteer firefighters

ALBANY, NY — The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) is hoping to increase the depleted recruitment of volunteer firefighters across the state and has designated 2005 as “The Year of Recruitment and Retention.”

“Volunteers provide an enormous economic benefit to our nation; unfortunately, despite their tremendous contributions, the number of volunteer firefighters and emergency service providers is declining both here in New York, as well as across the nation,” President Ed Carpenter said.

The ranks of volunteer firefighters have declined to approximately 110,000 members statewide from 140,000 in the early 1990s. Volunteers EMTs have experienced a decline to 35,000 from over 50,000 over the same period, according to Carpenter.

A new economic study finds that volunteer firefighters save local taxpayers $2.9 billion annually.