Highland stalls ‘gas rush’—for now

Board approves moratorium; supervisor seeks to rescind stipend

By SANDY LONG

ELDRED, NY — The Town of Highland voted unanimously to approve a six-month moratorium on new oil and natural gas extraction activities following a public hearing on June 24. A lengthy public comment period brought remarks from supporters and detractors, and raised additional questions.

Dr. William Pammer, Commissioner of Sullivan County’s Division of Planning and Community Development, provided information and advised the town to determine specific goals to be achieved during the moratorium period, such as creating a task force to research drilling issues.

Township supervisor Tina Palecek stressed that the move is an attempt to slow the process to gather more information about the impacts and opportunities related to drilling, and to protect the health and safety of the town and its citizens. Town attorney Michael Davidoff called the moratorium an “emergency stopgap measure” which doesn’t prevent residents from signing leases. “We’re very limited as to what the town can do to protect its citizens,” he said. “We’re not saying that they can’t drill. We can not stop it.”

An Internet petition supporting a temporary moratorium in the neighboring towns of Highland and Tusten has been established at www.ipetitions.com/petition/gasdrilling/index.html.

The board also voted to rescind a resolution to award a $10,000 stipend to Palecek for accepting an additional assignment as town budget officer. The move to rescind was initiated by Palecek after she learned that the town had passed a 1974 resolution combining the roles of budget officer and supervisor.

“Given this information, I can’t in good conscience, accept the stipend,” said Palecek. “We made an honest mistake based on a lack of information.” Palecek read a prepared statement to the crowd assembled at the town hall. “I do request we reopen discussion regarding this topic at budget time to determine the Town’s needs regarding a budget officer, but I do not believe it is ethical at this time to follow through with this resolution,” she said. Palecek is one of the lowest paid supervisors in Sullivan County at $15,000 per year.