Heating assistance applications available

NEW YORK STATE — Applications to receive Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefits will become available on Monday, November 2. HEAP is a federally funded program that issues financial assistance to help with a household’s heating cost. The HEAP regular benefit component assists lower-income New Yorkers with the cost of heating their homes. Regular benefit applications are being mailed to all households that received a HEAP benefit in 2008-09. Regular HEAP applications for households that did not receive a HEAP benefit last year will be made available on November 2.

Regular HEAP benefits are based on income, the primary fuel source and number of household members who are under the age of 6 or age 60 and older, or who are permanently disabled.

HEAP also provides emergency benefits to New Yorkers who are facing a heat or heat-related energy emergency and do not have the resources available to resolve the crisis. For more information visit www.otda.state.ny.us/main/heap or call 800/342-3009.

Sullivan property auction fails to cover tax arrears

ROCK HILL, NY — This year’s second auction of properties seized by Sullivan County to cover tax arrears failed to realize quite enough money to cover those arrears. A sum of $320,000 was owed on the properties, which yielded $311,000 at auction.

The auction was a pickup auction of properties that had not been sold at an earlier auction held in June. That auction proved far more profitable for the county, yielding $1.8 million on properties on which $800 million was owed.

Partnership condemns increased wetland regulation

BRIDGEVILLE, NY — The Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development Board of Directors has passed a resolution unanimously condemning a New York State Senate bill that calls for increased regulation of state wetlands. The amendment calls for any wetland sized one acre or more that abuts a body of water to be regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The current law only allows NYSDEC to regulate parcels 12.4 acres or more.

The resolution says in part, “Wetlands are important natural resources that need to be protected, but the additional, redundant regulation proposed by Senate Bill S.848 will negatively impact economic development in New York—with no appreciable benefit to the State. Reducing the regulated wetlands from 12.4 acres to 1 acre with no change in the 100-foot buffer requirement will result in a 4-acre regulated area.

“This significant expansion of government regulation will not only limit new development, it will impact the expansion of current projects and will inevitably lead to higher costs for developers.”

Activist’s internet, email shut down

LACKAWAXEN, PA — The email and broadband service of Pat Carullo of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability was cut off on the afternoon of October 26, and Carullo says he was told that the shutdown was related to the content of the information he emails and posts, much of which relates to the dangers of gas drilling.

According to Carullo, he spoke to Mike Barone, an employee of DSL service provider Lackawaxen Telephone Services, on October 26, and Barone said he was ordered to cut off service to Carullo because his boss was afraid that the company would be “blacklisted.”

During a phone call the next day, vice president Mark Zarambo denied that the company caused the disruption, which he said happened outside Lackawaxen’s control. He said the matter had to do with the large number of emails Carullo sends out, and that he had two technicians working for hours trying to get the problem fixed.

Carullo’s lawyer has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.

Embattled clerk resigns

MONTICELLO, NY — Edith Schop, clerk for the Village of Monticello, submitted her resignation on Monday, October 26.

Schop has been indicted on 40 felony counts of fraud and grand larceny related to charges of double-dipping. It is alleged that she has been working at a job as a state law librarian during hours she claimed to be working for the village. Schop had continued working both jobs since the indictments.

Last Thursday, three of the village trustees passed a resolution to require Schop to work from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Schop’s current librarian hours are set at 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Mayor Gordon Jenkins, who believes no action should have been taken without obtaining more information, objected, and is reportedly considering a lawsuit against the trustees for usurping mayoral power.

Lackawaxen nominated River of the Year

PENNSYLVANIA — The Lackawaxen River is among six rivers nominated to be River of the Year, a designation made annually by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to highlight the conservation needs of the selected rivers. In years past, the River of the Year has typically been a large river like the Delaware or Susquehanna, but starting this year, criteria have been expanded to include a wider range of water bodies.

As part of the selection process, the DCNR has invited a watershed organization in each of the six watersheds to apply for the award. It has identified The Lackawaxen River Conservancy (TLRC) as the lead organization in the watershed to apply for the distinction on behalf of the Lackawaxen River.

If the Lackawaxen is accorded the designation, TLRC envisions a variety of activities, such as a paddling sojourn and visits, to heighten awareness of the fragile resource.