Anything but ordinary

The phone rang and when I answered it, the young woman informed me that my name was submitted to be part of a supplement on “remarkable people.” I have no idea who presented my name. I only know it amazed me since “ordinary” is the adjective I would use to describe me. My part of the supplement was written by Jennifer O’Reilly, and she did a great job.

The important aspect of these biographical essays is, in my opinion, the focus on individuals making a difference. I believe that is the way change for the better is made in our world, whether it be in family, community, government or anywhere else. I want to express my appreciation to The River Reporter for making possible a forum in which I could articulate the mission of Habitat for Humanity, housing and other social issues in the community, and the Harmony Project 2005. Your newspaper continues to serve our area with distinction.

Overstressed fish and the politics of water

Congratulations for calling attention to the disastrous trout fishing conditions in the upper Delaware River in “Fishing days gone,” in the August 4 issue of The River Reporter. The section from Hancock down to Callicoon could have, and indeed should have, the finest trout fishing in the eastern United States, if not in the world. It would be an environmental gem for this area and would make a positive contribution to the economy of the Delaware River Valley. Yet, it is severely mismanaged.

The article by Mr. Buterbaugh accurately portrays the situation. The conditions for trout in July were so severe that fishing should have been shut down, as they do in states like Montana that know how to preserve their resources. No one in government can put more water into the river to meet the agreed-on thermal targets at Hankins because, under the current regulations, the water “bank” allocated for that purpose was empty—despite the fact that there was plenty of water in the reservoirs. That’s because these “banks” are a bookkeeping nightmare that have about as much meaning as the so-called “Social Security Trust Fund.”

In response to the July crisis situation, The Friends of the Upper Delaware, a fishing-oriented, conservationist organization, generated an emergency release plan that would have alleviated the conditions for the trout on the river with a modest release of more water from the Cannonsville reservoir. This release would have had negligible impact on reservoir levels in 2006. But the plan was rejected due to the rigidity of the five parties that control the river: New York State, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the New York City Department of Water Supply. What is needed is a complete change in mindset and a complete change in the regulations for how water is allocated in the Delaware. Otherwise, we will continue to bounce from crisis to crisis as we have over last several years. It is truly remarkable that there are any trout left in the river below Hancock.

I quote my friend and the dean of fishing guides on the Upper Delaware, Bill Fraser of Hankins: “Half of all the suckers dead. The rest are well on their way to dying. I haven’t started a guiding trip in water cooler than 76 degrees in weeks. The ecology of the Upper Delaware is being severely affected… Stripers are everywhere. I’ve seen some in the 30-pound range. Trout are all at the few thermal refuges that are left and are being hammered. There are many non-sportsmen spearing them nightly as they stack helplessly. What a disgrace!”

Cell service and an egalitarian society

Thank you very much for the informative article: “Cell service coming to river valley?” in the August 4 issue of The River Reporter.

As your article makes clear, the most immediate case for cell phone availability in the Delaware River area is its value in emergency situations. But there is another fundamental consideration: that cell phone service, as a key player in modern communications, ought to be implemented under the same notion of “universal service” that Benjamin Franklin used with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and Theodore Vail with the Bell System.

These systems worked astonishingly well and greased the path for virtually every aspect of America’s development in the years since. Today, one reason we enjoy some measure of an egalitarian society is our ready access to universally available communication systems made possible by the USPS and the Bell System.

Today, as these systems evolve to their next stage, we must be careful not to forget this most valuable lesson. Of course, the telecom operators resist the cost of universal service, but we (through our representatives) can make it happen nevertheless, simply by requiring telecom providers to share the cost of implementing service to every nook and cranny of the country. The cost of building towers in rural areas is considerably less than in metropolitan areas, and can be fairly apportioned among providers as a part of the cost of doing business (and gaining their licenses).

Cell towers aren’t pretty, and nobody wants to see them. But there are many creative people out there, and some of them will come up with better ways to hide them, disguise them and make them more powerful so there don’t need to be so many of them.

In much of the world today, people use cell phones to their benefit routinely. They’ve changed life for the better in many ways, when used properly. A spouse calls home from the store to check on a purchase... a vacationer canoes down a river with a cell phone in a zip lock bag... a mother calls her child to stay in touch ... people work remotely for customers anywhere in the world... and so on.

Some curse these newfangled walkie-talkies. But there are ways of handling the downsides, and the advantages are too important to be denied to any segment of the population.

Hopefully your coverage of this issue will get the people involved off the dime—and then you’ll also give them the credit they deserve for what they accomplish in this area.

(The following letter was written to the Sullivan County Legislature)

High praise for a county manager

The Family Council consists of a group of people who advocate for the residents living at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center and has been in existence for almost 20 years.

Over the years we have worked with a number of county managers to help maintain high standards at the nursing home. It is our considered opinion that Daniel Briggs is one of the best managers this county ever had.

He has always made himself available and open for discussions. For example, recently when we had problems concerning the Department of Public Works, in charge of maintenance at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center, Mr. Briggs immediately called a meeting at the government center with Peter Lilholt and Phil Nicholetti, Pamela Hurley (administrator) and officers of Family Council. Dan Briggs presided over the meeting. After lengthy discussion Mr. Briggs instructed those involved from the nursing home and DPW to work together to solve the problem, which was accomplished to everyone’s satisfaction.

Dan Briggs is not an 8:00-to-4:00 employee. He gave the Council president his home telephone number so he could be accessible on an as-needed basis. We have taken him up on that privilege and have always been warmly received. We think that is highly commendable.

Without the support of County Manager Dan Briggs, the Sullivan County Adult Care Center would not have the positive reputation it now has. In our estimation and experience Daniel Briggs is an asset to our taxpayers and the County.

Local mothers: let Cindy Sheehan be your example

I don’t understand. I am mystified. Our children are being sent off to war in Iraq to kill, maim, destroy and torture and in turn be killed and maimed themselves, and our mothers locally are so silent. Mothers suffer the most from war and waiting and worrying about their children and have the most compassion for mothers of the children fighting on the other side, yet we only hear a deafening silence.

I know you did not raise your children to do this. Yet mothers, why are you not screaming at the top of your lungs about this outrageous war that the President with lies and deception talked us into? Finally, we have Cindy Sheehan and Celeste Zappala of Gold Star Families for Peace camping outside Bush’s Crawford, Texas ranch waiting to meet with the President and ask him ‘Why was my son killed in Iraq?’ Yet, local mothers, we hear hardly a peep from you. Please cry out in your loudest voice to the newspapers and all other forms of media and especially to our benighted representatives in Washington, D.C. Cry out, cry out, cry out to end the bloodshed in Iraq now.

No more war! No more war! No more war! Let there be peace.