New sparks for old problems

Highland’s still working toward a new highway garage

By LISA CUTRONI

ELDRED, NY — It has been a long-standing problem in Highland. But the solution of a new highway garage might be nearer than previously thought.

“Currently, we are looking into different plans than what were submitted in the past,” Town of Highland Supervisor Stephen Barnes said.

And the end product won’t just be a highway garage.

A possible solution, according to the new highway garage building committee, consists of construction of a new garage on eight acres of town property behind the senior center on Route 55. Subsequent steps would be the sale of both the Barryville Courthouse and the current garage and demolition of the town hall in Eldred.

The new complex would then include the garage, office space for town officials and officers, space for constables and a courthouse.

By centralizing all the buildings and offices to one area, the committee, comprised of council members Donald Rupp, Robert Burrow and highway garage superintendent Norm Sutherland said the town would save money, especially with heating and electricity costs. Town and planning board meetings would be held at the senior center.

Committee members admitted this would displace senior activities on those evenings.

Once the town hall is demolished, Rupp said, the area could be turned into a town parking area.

“Demolishing the town hall for parking is an asinine decision,” said Joe McDonald, deputy town supervisor in 2004. “To me, the parking problem would be easily solved by buying the corner parking lot across from the Eldred Inn.”

However, the idea of taking down the town hall may be moot because of the deed.

The Eldred Central School district ceded the town hall to Highland in 1948 and, according to Burrow, there is a stipulation that states if the town vacates the premises, ownership of the building would revert back to the school.

The attempt to build a new garage has been long, and fraught with problems.

“The land for the proposed highway garage was first purchased in the early ’80s. In 2004, residents approved a $1.5-million bond for construction. However, when bids came back nearly 50 percent higher, at $2.3 million, residents petitioned for a referendum and rejected the original bond. The town was back where it started,” said Barnes.

“I believe that, for one, the figure for the building back then was a little extreme and, in general, the reason why the plan was rejected was because of all the misinformation that was spread around Highland,” Barnes said.

Sutherland said one of those “misinformations” that may have swayed residents into rejecting the plan in 2004 was an idea that the town would be building a 4,000-ton salt dome at the new garage.

It wasn’t going to be 4,000 tons, he said, it was going to be 50.

But for Sutherland, what matters is that his department is working in the over 40-year-old building that is too small to do the kind of work they’re responsible for.

“It’s so small, the trucks barely fit inside with their plows on. We’re just trying to upgrade to a more modern facility,” Sutherland said.

He said Highland needs the type of garage that Callicoon has—a drive-through, insulated building of appropriate size.

“The heat is outrageous. It costs $2,300 a month for propane. There’s no insulation and the windows are single-pane glass,” Sutherland said. “The new building would be basic, no Taj Mahal, no fanciness. It would be what’s required and that’s it.”

Before anything can happen, Burrow said, an engineer would look at all the buildings in question and get a financial estimate for repairs. Then, the town could make a decision about a new garage.

“For the general public and taxpayers, the sooner we do something, the better. As long as we keep it in a financial realm as to not hurt community members, I think we can do this,” Barnes said.