RI horror show not for river valley

To the editor:

In reading Bob Burrow’s piece on planned growth I was reminded in particular of one horrifying example of the plundering of agricultural land by insensitive developers. Aquidneck Island, the very special place in Rhode Island where the city of Newport and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth have weathered growth due to both second home development and bedroom communities, has some of the worst examples of unplanned growth in America.

If you want to see what could happen to the river valley with unchecked growth, take a weekend and visit Middletown, RI. You will see the spectacular Narragansett Bay on one side of the road, but former farmers’ land pockmarked with single-family houses spaced mathematically like so many Monopoly houses on the other.

Once you drive past this bizarre game board, you will enter one of the country’s most notorious suburban sprawl sections of highway. From car dealerships to donut shops, quicky oil change businesses to furniture stores, the commercial vista stretches all the way to the historic entrance to Newport.

No one denies the importance of each of these businesses—cars and donuts go together, after all—but it is going to take serious professional planning to avoid repeating this RI horror show in Sullivan County.

The reason I mention this is that both the river valley and Aquidneck Island are blessed with spectacular natural scenery. Both are resort areas where people come to recharge and reconnect with nature—yeah, yeah some come to gamble and drink too much, I will grant you that. But the point is that smart planning now can lead to creating density and use restrictions that can help all components of the burgeoning river valley grow in a pleasing way.

I have no intention of maligning Aquidneck Island—some of it has been preserved and is breathtaking. However much of what has been saved can be attributed to a few wealthy stewards of the land. In the absence of those stewards, it is going to take the extraordinary ordinary folk of the river valley to do it right.

I am admittedly ignorant of the details of what the various gambling deals would provide for the county, if they indeed come about, but professional unbiased planning had better be at the top of the list.

Easy solutions for a tough problem

To the editor:

Investigate the Sullivan West debacle? You bet someone should. They should have started five years ago and they should have started with the validity of the merger vote itself!

I’m sure you will remember that there was a group of so-called “nay-sayers,” ourselves included, that pleaded with everyone concerned to investigate the integrity of those merger votes starting with the straw vote. A group of us did, and we found gross incompetence, numerous illegal (one person that voted was dead!) and missing ballots and sketchy promises. If investigated thoroughly, you would find many dirty hands worthy of being prosecuted.

We alerted anyone who would listen, but the impetus was on and most of you were looking for the “pie-in-the-sky” that the State Board of Education, Marty Handler and Bob Sturdevant were promising.

Well, now you’ve got it—a big cow pie! And just because poor little Narrowsburg didn’t have enough room.

Yes, we are bitter and terribly sick of folks whining about Sullivan West’s problems. The only solution to this farce is for the taxpayers to admit a mistake was made, that we just cannot afford this particular pie for years to come and make some really hard decisions: unmerge!

Give Delaware Valley and Jeffersonville back their individual school districts. Both have more than enough room to accommodate their students and are lovely schools. Dissolve the former Narrowsburg School District (since they do not have enough room) and divvy those students between Eldred, Delaware Valley and Jeffersonville. Close and sell the Narrowsburg and Lake Huntington properties.

Drop BOCES Vocational Training. It is our feeling that vocational training should not be the taxpayers’ burden: academics should. $3 million for 30 children is ridiculous!) Teach those students the 3 R’s first, then they can go to vocational school at their parent’s expense. We have retired people on fixed incomes, barely keeping their heads above water who are paying for this, for goodness sake!

The area cannot afford “Sullivan West.” There will be no economic solution to this problem until the taxpayers revolt and just say no to this foolishness.

Merged is merged, so pay up

To the editor:

I realize the Sullivan West school board is between a rock and a hard place, a situation created by a previous superintendent and boards. Mr. Derry had to make the hard choice, created by people who didn’t care enough to see to the good of the whole community.

The state gave us empty promises. They told the community about all the money we’d get to merge. After the merger, it disappeared. We were left holding the bag. Thanks!

The people who wanted the merger tried to tell us that a merger would improve the education of the kids. Now they will have a long bus ride. They also said taxes would be less in the future. Eighteen percent is not less. Thanks!

Mr. Johndrow just spent the wad without regard to the needs of the kids and the taxpayer parents. The board sat back and said, “let’s enjoy the ride.” Thank God we didn’t get the pool too. Unfortunately the wad that was shot is now coming out of our pocket. Thanks!

Now the schools will be closed, and the communities that wanted the merger most must suffer the most. But how much would you really be willing to pay in taxes? Would you pay 18 percent more? How about 23 percent? Or we could leave bad enough alone and pay 33 percent? I didn’t want to spend anymore for something I didn’t want. We have the merger; it’s done. Now pay up.

Just remember the one place we can really have a voice, is in the booth when we vote. The board didn’t represent us well, so act. Find people who would look out for our full concerns. To some degree I’ve gained a new respect for Mr. Derry. What can he do with what we have voted for and what others have done before him?

I didn’t vote for the merger. Thanks!

Feeding deer is not the answer

To the editor:

The debate over the ban on feeding deer has become a case of emotion over reason, with research and science taking a back seat. Additionally, a growing number of people are treating deer as domestic animals rather than wild ones. Others want to maintain an artificially robust herd for the purpose of increasing hunter success during the open season.

The only way to maintain or improve the deer population is to maintain or improve the “carrying capacity” of a locale. Deer are best supported in this region by an edge habitat, a mix of open farmland and diverse woodlots. As the number of working farms decline the food value on these open lands declines. Good forestry practices can improve the carrying capacity of woodlots provided that loggers leave enough healthy food bearing trees standing. Land-use practices and natural progression are other factors that will influence the sustainable food supply for deer.

Deer feeding stations will not support a healthy wild deer population, because they do nothing towards increasing the land’s carrying capacity. A wealth of information has been published on the subject of improving deer habitat. Some of these methods require an initial expense and longer commitment to land use, but the benefits are long term. No matter how much humans want to manipulate a wild animal’s population, natural selection will have the final word. Nature will balance the deer herd with the available habitat whether by disease, food supply, genetics, mutation, predation and even starvation. Ironically, feeding stations may actually cause more deer to starve, or die from disease, in the future.

Bridging work well done

To the editor:

In appreciation and concern for our welfare and safety during this last flood, the Tusten highway department was very efficient and fast in repairing our bridge and roadway, so on the third day we were all able to get out.

George Kinch and his crew of dedicated workers did an excellent job. The town should be extra proud of their performance during these days of high water. We are, thanks to a job well done.

Eulogy for Casino Gambling

To the editor:

On Thursday April 7 a funeral for the late Casino Gambling, was held by members of Casino-Free Sullivan County at the Sullivan County Government Center.

The obituary for Casino Gambling follows.

Casino Gambling was born of the incestuous rape of the Catskill Mountain region by shortsighted unimaginative politicians. Casino Gambling led a notorious unproductive life filled with avarice and deception. He and his illegitimate followers gave birth to Poverty, Broken Families, Abused Children, Gambling Addiction and Increased Crime in multiple locations throughout the United States. These offspring have produced increased taxes, failing businesses, bankruptcies, suicide, divorces and endless pain and suffering upon the communities they have lived in. Casino Gambling led a life dedicated to taking from the poor and giving to the rich. He came to kill, steal and destroy all who were deceived by his false promises of wealth and prosperity.

Those who mourn his death are few: Govenor Pataki, Greg Goldstein, Ron Hiatt, Leni Binder, Jodi Goodman, Sam Wohl and Jonathan Rouis. He leaves behind a number of infamous relatives: Caesar’s Entertainment, Empire Resorts, The Building and Trades Union, The Partnership for Economic Development and the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce.

In place of flowers, his widow, the very happy and relieved Mrs. Gambling requests that contributions be sent to Casino-Free Sullivan County, P.O. Box 538, Monticello, NY 12701. This organization, dedicated to preserving our quality of life by standing together in opposition to the establishment of casino gambling and supporting positive economic development in Sullivan County intends to use the funds to rectify the destruction done by the late Casino Gambling. You may visit their website at www.casinofreesullivancounty.com. Due to lack of interest no viewing hours have been scheduled. The Rev. Dr. Robert J. Paquet, who is rejoicing over this opportunity to put this nefarious destroyer of peoples’ lives to rest, conducted the funeral service.

Dear Mr. Derry,

I would like it if you could post-pone the school’s closing so we could raise enough money to keep it open. I will give you a couple of reasons to keep the school open. It’s a great school. We won’t have to ride a long time on the bus.

If you could please not close the schools. Imagine all the kids and what they will feel like. It’s about everybody and the kids. So please keep the schools open.

Editor’s note: The River Reporter is pleased to be able to provide certificates for subscriptions to any non-profit organization that is holding a fundraiser. Please contact circulation clerk Jean Kerrigan at 845/252-7414