Dead zones in Western Sullivan

LINDA DROLLINGER
Posted 6/21/17

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Thirty years ago, then-deputy sheriff Luis Alvarez survived a gunshot attempt on his life not far from today’s new Cochecton Town Hall; it was hours before the …

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Dead zones in Western Sullivan

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LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Thirty years ago, then-deputy sheriff Luis Alvarez survived a gunshot attempt on his life not far from today’s new Cochecton Town Hall; it was hours before the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department even knew he was in trouble. In recounting that experience during the June 14 Cochecton Town Board public hearing on a one-year summer camp moratorium, now-Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Alvarez was telling his audience about his long and intimate knowledge of Cochecton’s unique assets, challenges and vulnerabilities.

Alvarez acknowledged that many aspects of life in Cochecton have since changed, but one has not: radio signal dead zones still permeate the town, especially in the Delaware River valley. An ongoing inconvenience for longtime residents, spotty, unexpected lack of cell phone service and Wi-Fi can be dangerous and sometimes life-threatening for newcomers, tourists and emergency service providers.

Upper Delaware Council and Scenic Byway representative Larry Richardson said both organizations are concerned with visitor safety in the area’s largest dead zone, the river valley. National Park Service reports of 18 overturned boats at Skinners Falls during the past Memorial Day Weekend—a rate modest by comparison with holiday weekend river accident reporting in recent years—highlights the need for frequent, rapid emergency services response to tourist calls for assistance.

But as that situation is not uncommon in rural and wilderness recreation areas, technology has met the need with a radio signal extender similar to personal broadband (My-Fi). The product is being manufactured under the name goTenna and marketed to sports folk. Now available from retailers like Cabela’s and REI as well as the manufacturer [tinyurl.com/y7bqedqu] and Amazon, it sells for approximately $150 per unit.

Defined as indispensable gear for off-grid adventures, goTenna could make western Sullivan County more attractive to adventurers who are somewhat faint of heart. And that could include those who like a modicum of creature comforts with their rusticity, such as summer campgoers.

Despite planning board chair Earl Bertsch’s public statement that the planning board as a whole is opposed to permitting summer camps within the town for a variety of reasons (noise complaints, night lighting complaints, sewer and garbage-removal challenges), Supervisor Gary Maas said the town board is committed to exploring the possibility of summer camps and will research comprehensive summer camp zoning ordinances of neighboring towns as he and other board members speak with officials of towns that have already adopted them.

Maas noted that the board has received some private commentary from residents and that at least one organization has inquired about establishment of a summer camp in Fosterdale. But as there was little comment at the hearing, which shared time with Alvarez’s presentation, it was recessed to July 12.

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