‘We can’t allow that building to fall into the wrong hands.’

Got your attention?

Good. I figured it might.

The above title is a quote from Sullivan West superintendent Kenneth Hilton that was published in a local newspaper article regarding the recent appraisal and possible listing for sale of the Narrowsburg Central School.

The Narrowsburg school’s location is right smack in the center of our wonderful town.

“The Four Corners,” it says on old time postcards.

To wit: A century-old restaurant and inn on one corner, a public library on the other corner and a residence on the third corner.

This building and its fields of the Narrowsburg school, which at one time were an anchor of our community, will probably be put on the block because of several miscalculations that have now come home to roost (see www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/2006/schools/sullivanw.pdf).

One was appropriating $5 million from the taxpayers to renovate the building only to mothball it for the past five years due to declining enrollment.

And now it seems that the Narrowsburg Central School has become the sacrificial lamb.

The building was recently appraised for $750,000, and from what I read, is getting ready to be sold so that the district can clean up its balance sheet for a very costly mistake that has affected the taxpayers of the school district and the residents of Narrowsburg and the Town of Tusten.

Many of the past decision-makers are no longer on the school board, and very few of those current board members reside either in Narrowsburg or the Town of Tusten.

As a resident of Narrowsburg for 24 years, associate real estate broker, licensed fishing guide and town official for about 13, I would propose that this time around, the facilities needs and assessment committee of the Sullivan West school board actually select both town officials and local residents—those who live and pay taxes in Narrowsburg and the Town of Tusten—for its committee to make room for an open and bilateral discussion as to what is the highest and best use of this property.

Besides the “historic and sentimental value” that Mr. Hilton mentions in the article, the fate of the actual property will have specific consequences going forward for the town, merchants, visitors and, most importantly, its citizens.

The school property might belong to the Sullivan West school district, but the aftereffects of what happens to this property in my town, and to whom it will be sold, will remain with the town long after this deal goes down and the school board moves on to other issues.