Texas Township says yes to hotel

INDIAN ORCHARD, PA — A shortened version of the Texas Township Board of Supervisors voted two to zero to approve the application for a conditional use permit.

The board approved with the proviso that the developers, Route Six Development Company, LLC, fulfill the conditions set down by the township’s planning commission.

One supervisor had to recuse himself because of a comment he made before the last meeting of the board.

Supervisor Don Doney expressed some concerns he had about the traffic problems at the site and the inadequacy of the second access road. However, he approved the project.

“I don’t want to jeopardize the conditions set forth by the planning commission by voting ‘no,’ so I vote ‘yes,’” Doney said.

Chairman of the board Jack McDonald, who had to recuse himself, was purported to have said that he was in favor of the project but thought the site needed a second access.

Legislature to honor author

MONTICELLO, NY — The Sullivan County Legislature will conduct a special ceremony on Thursday, June 5 at 12:00 noon to honor author Justin Askins, Professor of English at Radford University in Virginia and former resident of Monticello.

Askins, author of “The Legendary Neversink: A Treasury of the Best Writing About One of America’s Great Trout Rivers,” will be honored with the title “Riverkeeper of the Neversink” for his contributions promoting and preserving the history of the Neversink River.

Sullivan County Historian John Conway is scheduled to speak at the ceremony, and Town of Neversink Supervisor Gregory Goldstein will introduce Askins.

Majority Leader and District Two Legislator Kathleen LaBuda said, “Mr. Askins’ recently published book is important to our communities, particularly those along the Neversink River, because it documents events and periods of our local history. His widely acclaimed book is one of only two known publications specifically pertaining to the Neversink River, and the care he has taken to compile articles and essays that detail the river’s rich history deserves to be recognized.”

New election commissioner selected

MONTICELLO, NY — Faith Kaplan, late county Democratic election commissioner Tim Hill’s deputy for 16 years, has been selected to replace him.

A vote to confirm the appointment is expected later this month, but is considered a formality.

Also nominated were Andrew Boyer, former supervisor of the Town of Highland, and Peggy Harrison of Narrowsburg, who declined the nomination before the vote.

Delaware bridges eyed for replacement

REGION —The New York-Pennsylvania Joint Interstate Bridge Commission approved capital construction and maintenance plans for 10 Upper Delaware River bridges at its annual meeting held May 27.

Representatives from the Upper Delaware Council (UDC) and National Park Service (NPS) Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River attended the meeting.

With the new Barryville, NY-Shohola, PA Bridge lacking only the installation of a customized ornamental railing this September to be entirely complete, the next bridges on the commission’s radar for potential replacement are the 1904 Pond Eddy, NY-Pond Eddy, PA Bridge and the 1961 Callicoon, NY-Damascus, PA Bridge.

The Pond Eddy Bridge’s proposed contract-letting is targeted for 2010 at an estimated cost of $12 million. A new Callicoon, NY-Damascus, PA Bridge was included on the Commission’s approved schedule for a 2013 contract-letting at an estimated cost of $11.6 million

Hinchey talks gas prices

ALBANY, NY — Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has unveiled a series of new short, medium and long-term solutions for rising gas prices.

Among the short-term steps Hinchey is working on is a bill that would give the president the authority to cap gas prices at $2.49 per gallon, which he intends to introduce within the next two weeks. He also supports the Eliminate Gas Price Discrimination Act, which would end the practice of zone-pricing whereby oil companies control the price individual gas stations charge by allowing stations to purchase gas from only one local wholesale distributor, and is working to address price gouging.

Longer-term steps Hinchey is working to address are increasing vehicle fuel efficiency, using a windfall profit tax on oil companies to provide tax credits for fuel efficient cars and reduce mass transit fares, promoting a stronger dollar and regulating speculation by oil traders.

Hinchey also continues with his long-term support of alternative energy technologies like wind and solar.

IDA set to give break to aviation company

BETHEL, NY — The Sullivan County Industrial Development Corporation (IDA) will probably approve tax incentives of about $1 million to Arcadia Aviation for a hangar it plans at Sullivan County Airport, according to IDA President Allan Scott.

The proposed tax breaks will be front-loaded, diminishing until they expire entirely in 20 years. With the incentives, taxes will come in at less than half of full value, at an estimated $579,785 to county, school and town taxes over the period.

“There will be taxes generated as a result of this project coming in. We want to see activity at an underutilized facility,” said Scott.