Gunther, state education board to meet with Sullivan West residents

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — On Wednesday, August 10 at 6:30 p.m., Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther will join New York State Education Department officials Jim Butterworth and Jim Kadamus in a public discussion of the fiscal crisis faced by the Sullivan West School District. The discussion, which is open to the public, will be held at the Sullivan West High School.

“The meeting will give us a chance to discuss the recent challenges facing the district,” Gunther said. She also noted the state comptroller’s office is conducting an audit of the district.

Along with fielding questions from the public, the state officials will outline a potential plan for an external study of the district to determine the cause of existing problems and propose long-term solutions to restore fiscal stability.

New housing development could save Mountain Laurel

BUSHKILL, PA — The Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts, which has struggled to stay open since the first performance there in 2003, could be relieved of its $23 million debt if a real estate developer can get approval to subdivide the 675-acre property and build a residential community, The Associated Press (AP) reported last week.

AP reported that time is limited because the center expects to default on its September payment to bondholders, who provided $17 million of the original construction financing. The initial $15 million construction grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania came with a condition prohibiting the sale or further subdivision of the property, so the proposed project requires state approval. If local and state planners support the project, Greystone Capital partners, a suburban Philadelphia developer that early this year purchased the historic Tamiment resort, located next to the property, would absorb Mountain Laurel’s debt and lease the performing arts center back to its board for a term of 50 years.

Richard Bryant, Mountain Laurel’s chief executive officer, called the proposal “an innovative solution that protects and preserves the investment of the people.”

Pike Commission supports bond initiative

MILFORD, PA — The Pike County Planning Commission, a group of residents named by the county commissioners to give feedback to the county’s planning department, voted unanimously to support the proposed environmental bond issue that will be voted on this November.

The proposed $10 million bond issue, the Rural Character Preservation Bond, would be used to purchase and preserve open space as well as help fund land-use planning strategies at a time when much of the county remains undeveloped.

“Open space is quickly disappearing in the fastest growing county in the state,” said Peter Pinchot, a spokesman for the group called Keep Pike Green (KPG), which is promoting several environmental initiatives in the county. KPG is a coalition of organizations, spearheaded by the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, that are concerned about the negative impact over-development can have on the county.

Roebling Bridge to be closed for repair LACKAWAXEN, PA — The Roebling Bridge will be closed for repair some time in mid-September, according to David Forney, superintendent of the Upper Delaware National Park Service.

Fifty percent of the bridge’s road surface is failing, and repaving will take approximately two weeks. Forney made his remarks at the July 20 meeting of the Lackawaxen Township Supervisors.

The structure of the bridge is sound, but the road surface has been deteriorating for the past six months, Forney said. The bridge has been closed twice in the past few years for repairs, and the upcoming work will be the second time a new deck is poured to fix the bridge. The last pouring was done to the road surface in October 2003.

Officials say the resurfacing must be done before winter since snow and ice would permeate the cracks in the concrete and destroy the surface even more.

Water management hearing to be held

HAWLEY, PA — A public meeting and hearing concerning water management and planning in the Delaware River Basin will be held on Thursday, August 11, beginning with registration at 5:30 p.m. at the PPL Learning Center.

Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary of Water Management Cathleen Curran Meyers and Delaware Regional Water Resource Chairperson Carol Collier will lead the meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the hearing at 7:30 p.m.

The Delaware Regional Water Resource Committee is seeking comments on water resources management and planning within the Delaware River Basin. The state Department of Environmental Protection will receive testimony from the public on water resource management. Time will also be given for questions on the process of developing the State Water Plan.

Pike Sheriff’s department wins award

MILFORD, PA — The Pike County Sheriff’s Office has been selected to receive the annual Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) Sheriff Crime Prevention Award. The county office provides many crime prevention programs in Pike and surrounding counties.

The K-9 Drug Detection Search and Rescue Team, the Bomb Squad and the DARE program are some examples of the programs in Pike County that were praised by the Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Association, which granted the award.

The state award was conferred on Sheriff Philip Meuki at this year’s State Sheriff Conference in Philadelphia on July 29.

SW school board postpones decision

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — At the Sullivan West school board meeting on Wednesday, August 3, the board voted 4-3 to postpone authorizing the district superintendent to execute a contract with the Thorton-Tomasetti Group for civil engineering services at the high school.

“I want more information on what we’re voting on and what that money brings us,” said board member Arthur Norden.

“Where are we going? What are our plans?” said board member Richard Lander. Not present for the meeting were Jennifer Mann and Regina Wagner.