Time to stop the foot dragging

To the editor:

Sullivan West Superintendent Alan Derry has been dragging his feet and stalemating the information-gathering process that could result in the possible reopening of the Delaware Valley and Narrowsburg schools and the relocation of the high school back to Jeffersonville. That lack of information is the real reason why reopening Delaware Valley is the only option currently on the table.

This high-stakes, behind-the-scenes, cat-and-mouse game finally resulted in a major public confrontation at the February 8 school board meeting—and no wonder. The Sullivan West (SW) school board can’t thoroughly and objectively examine all its options with respect to opening its schools or reorganizing the district in an economical manner without this data.

For those who think this is merely partisan bickering, let me remind you that our student population has now cratered to a new low of 1,399 students. We have lost 251 students during the last four years alone, and there is no end in sight. The entire SW student population could now fit easily in the Delaware Valley, Narrowsburg and Jeffersonville-Youngsville buildings, leaving the poorly constructed Lake Huntington high school empty. That is why the information school board members are requesting from Alan Derry is so important.

In reacting to the complaints about the lack of information being supplied to board members, Superintendent Derry made the preposterous claim that the business office is working 16 or 17 hours a day, and that if board members continued asking for information the members of the business office staff would all quit.

Board president Arthur Norden responded by saying that it doesn’t matter how many requests are being made, since the board isn’t getting the information it needs anyway.

This stonewalling has got to stop. I publicly call on Sullivan West Superintendent Alan Derry to quit playing games.

The Sullivan West school board majority is more than willing to meet Mr. Derry halfway. The time has come for Alan Derry to mend his fences and start cooperating on these vital matters. As I have repeatedly said, “Alan Derry works for the Sullivan West school board. We do not work for him.”

The real agenda

To the editor:

Noel van Swol’s January 26 letter to the editor was striking indeed. In it he used the word “I” nine times, the word “me” seven times, and the word “my” four times, for a total of 20 self-references.

In the same letter he used the word “children” zero times and the word “education” zero times.

Is there any question what the agenda of Mr. van Swol, Sullivan West Board of Education member, really is?

Why should we keep listening?

To the editor:

I can’t believe Richard Sandler’s letter, “If you want state-of-the-art, you know what to do,” in the February 8 issue.

Former Sullivan West school board president Richard Sandler was one of the people who wasted $50,000,000 of our money building facilities for several thousand students we don’t have.

Sandler then turned around and voted to close the Delaware Valley and Narrowsburg schools after $12,500,000 had been spent renovating those buildings, thus victimizing both of those communities. That is why he was voted out of office.

Now Sandler is clamoring to keep open the “state-of-the-art” high school, which we can’t afford. Why should anyone pay attention to a school board spendthrift like this with a record that bad?

Glad school closing is off the table

To the editor:

I am pleased to read that I have brought a small amount of enjoyment to our board of education vice president. After all, if you have attended a board meeting recently, you know just how much that group needs to lighten up.

I’m also happy to see that the unrealistic plan to close the high school is “off the table.” That controversial issue has been a black cloud hanging over the district for far too long. If what Mr. Bailey says is true, and the rest of the board majority are in line, then we find ourselves in a rare moment of agreement. However, I caution the public to beware. Like Ali leaning on the ropes waiting for Forman to run out of steam, this board could easily pull a rope-a-dope and come out swinging in the 11th hour.

I have not addressed whether Delaware Valley (DV) or Narrowsburg should be opened. However, since Bailey brought it up, if the only reason to open the DV campus is to allow easier access to extracurricular activities, perhaps a transportation solution can be reached. Considering the estimated $1,500,000 yearly operating cost to run that school, we could hire a limousine to transport every elementary student west of Jeffersonville home from all of the three after-school activities offered.

Bailey also mention the “basic education” offered at the Jeffersonville campus. The education delivered there is anything but. The dedicated staff is teaching and the children are learning. If I remember right, Bailey’s job as a board member and as part of the board leadership is to ensure that. To insinuate that the job being done at Jeffersonville is just okay is wrong and uncalled for.

Open letter to DEC re Swan Lake

To the editor:

We as citizens rely on our elected and government officials such as you from the Department of Environmental Conservation to represent the public and environmental interests in issues that greatly affect us, such as this development in Swan Lake, NY. We have no other recourse. That is why it’s of the utmost importance that you recognize the importance and responsibility of your position. There’s nothing wrong with development, but it must be done with the utmost efficacy and planning. Wise development profits all, but over-development profits the developer only (who often is from outside the community in which they are developing), and it destroys the quality of life of everyone and everything else in the local community. Please do not let this happen. With whatever authority you have, require wise development from these developers. It seems only the law will persuade them.

Moratorium is a good idea

To the editor:

I have just read that the Bethel Town Board is considering a moratorium on new commercial development and any building proposal involving more than five lots. I want to ask the town board not just to consider this moratorium, but to enact it. Take the six months to review the process that is in place in the Town of Bethel to review and approve items that come before the planning board. I’m not saying that the process is flawed, but it can’t hurt to step back and look at the process and ensure that the approval process is the best that can be attained. Use this time to ensure that the projects that come before the Town of Bethel Planning Board will fit the Town of Bethel as a whole, not just the zoning for that individual project.

To the Town of Bethel board members, approve the moratorium. Do whatever it takes to make sure that what our town government is doing is protecting our town. Take time to review the planning process and allow our town to grow wisely.

To the residents of Bethel, let our town board know that you support the six-month moratorium on new commercial development and any building project over five lots. You can also become involved by joining one of the grassroots organizations that are forming to maintain the rural character of Bethel. For further information, email keepbethelrural@hughes.net.

We don’t want another Vietnam

To the editor:

Did I hear our Senator correctly? Did he say that he wanted to recreate Vietnam? I thought President Nixon caused that defeat. I don’t think we would be safe or free if the Democrats created a Vietnam in Iraq. The Viet Cong wanted all of Vietnam. The Moslems want the world.

After 33 years, Chuck Schumer finally confesses that Congress at the time of Vietnam created the failure in that poor land. When we pulled out our soldiers, torture, violence and repression followed. If we pull out of Iraq, the same will happen. But it will not stop at the border of Iraq. Iran, Syria, and many others will be emboldened by our lack of a spine. Fundamentalist Islam doesn’t want to control just the Middle East, they want the world, and they will take it by force.

America seldom remembers its second war against the Barbary Pirates. They were imprisoning, torturing and killing American sailors. Thomas Jefferson declared war on the Barbary Coast rather than placate the Moslems, like Europe. We won that war.

The war in the Middle East started long before now. We as Americans have been held hostage, bombed, tortured, killed and attacked on our own shores these last 30 years. War has stopped many injustices, including colonial powers, slavery, piracy, fascism, and Communism. If we hadn’t finished those fights back then, where would we be now?

The powers in Iran and their ilk have said they will not be satisfied until they rule the world. So Mr. Schumer, you can be a peace Democrat, just like those that opposed President Lincoln in his fight to free the slaves. But by recreating another failure you will prove the Taliban and Al Qaeda right. All they have to do is wear us down to defeat us.

Timothy Morse