Nicolletti and Lilholt plead guilty

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Former department of public works (DPW) commissioner Pete Lilholt and deputy commissioner Phil Nicoletti pleaded guilty last week to charges stemming from the DPW scandal that emerged in Feburary 2005.

Both men pleaded guilty to charges of grand larceny and defrauding the government. Lilholt will get six months in jail; Nicoletti is expected to get one year.

The men were accused of using county money to buy equipment for their own use. They were also accused of breaking into the personnel office to get a look at confidential employee records, and of attempting to blackmail legislator Kathy LaBuda to pressure her to halt an investigation of the department.

Lilholt retired in February of 2005 as the investigation into the scandal got underway. Nicoletti was fired in December of 2005 after a disciplinary hearing.

Flood assistance to farmers

WAYNE AND PIKE COUNTIES, PA — Farmers in the area who have sustained flood damage can be assisted by a special grant program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Assistance to farms is not a function of FEMA, according to Marian Schweighofer, county information director for the Wayne/Pike Farm Bureau.

Assistance can be offered for such things as the repair of fences and walls, the erosion of soil and other damage.

For information and assistance, farmers should call 570/282-8732.

PennDOT says leave cones and safety devices in place

DUNMORE, PA — PennDOT district headquarters cautions motorists and residents against removing cones, barriers, flashers and other safety devices from roadways and bridges affected by recent flooding. A number have been removed throughout the region, increasing the danger for motorists traveling through the area.

Motorists should be alert for shoulder drop-offs along roads and highways and other hazards that might not have markers.

Visit www.dot.state.pa.us for more information.

Flood mitigation bills pass House

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a four-bill package of legislation that would help people better prepare for a flood disaster. The package includes legislation that would enhance storm-water management and flood mitigation projects by empowering local governments and the Commonwealth to acquire properties in flood prone areas; create a voter referendum to authorize grant funding for the preservation of land for open space uses and flood mitigation purposes; create a Disaster Assistance Fund program to provide low-interest loans and grants to homeowners, businesses and municipal governments; and create a Flood Insurance Premium Assistance program to encourage Pennsylvania homeowners and businesses to purchase flood insurance. The bills now move to the Senate for consideration.

Meetings to focus on rehabilitation of Childs Park

PIKE COUNTY, PA — The National Park Service will conduct two public meetings concerning the development of an environmental assessment currently being prepared to assess the potential effects of the rehabilitation of Childs Park in the Delaware Water National Recreation Area. One meeting will be held from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11 at the Delaware Township Municipal Building on Wilson Hill Road in Dingmans Ferry; and the other from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12 at the National Park Service Bushkill Meeting Hall on Route 209 in Bushkill.

The park service proposes to rehabilitate Childs Park, which serves approximately 30,000 visitors annually, in response to deteriorating infrastructure, cultural features and natural resources that became apparent in the late 1990s. Major components of the project are the restoration of the natural resources, repair of the public use facilities and rehabilitation of the cultural features.

For more information call 570/420-9782.

Pike starts spending bond funds

MILFORD, PA — The Pike County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing the reimbursement of initial expenses associated with the Scenic Rural Character Preservation bond initiative, which was approved by voters last fall.

Since the draft of a new comprehensive plan for the county has just been released, the commissioners are now ready to start promoting the plan within the townships of the county, and will be incurring associated expenses.

Sally Corrigan, director of the Office of Community Planning, said the adoption of the resolution will allow the county to reimburse the general fund for these expenses once the bond funds have been accessed.

Flood information booklet

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Cornell Cooperative Extension has compiled a booklet of flood information sheets, with topics including cleaning and repairing flooded basements, home cleanup and sanitation, restoring heating systems, electrical systems and appliances, drying and repairing walls, ceilings and floors, carpets and rugs, testing flooded wells, and more. Booklets can be obtained from town clerks’ offices or at the extension office at 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road in Liberty.

For more information call 845/292-6180.

Siptroth child-protection amendment passes legislature

HARRISBURG, PA — A measure added by state Rep. John Siptroth (D-Monroe/Pike) to a motor vehicle bill has been passed by both the House and Senate and now goes to the governor for his signature.

Siptroth’s amendment will make it a separate offense for each child younger than six left unattended in a vehicle. Under current law, the penalty is the same regardless of the number of children left unattended.

Siptroth said he introduced the measure on its own last year, but decided that inserting it in a related bill would expedite its passage.