Free Tuition

Gov. Andrew Cuomo started off the year announcing that he wanted New York students who attend SUNY or CUNY colleges to be eligible for free tuition if their families earn $125,000 per year or less. Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton applauded the move. State Sen. John Bonacic initially opposed the measure, saying that with the goal of free tuition, Cuomo was burnishing his “national resume” in advance of a possible run for president in 2020. When the budget passed, however, featuring free college tuition, Bonacic endorsed it overall, though he said he was relieved that an element of the budget that would give free college tuition to “illegal immigrants” was not included.

Honesdale Police

The Honesdale Police Department was the subject of much debate among borough council members and members of the public. Early in the year, Bill Canfield and Bob Jennings, members of the Honesdale Safety Committee, recommended doubling the number of full-time officers from three to six. There was considerable public comment on the topic, with the homeless shelter provided by Grace Episcopal Church closing at least in part because Honesdale Police could not always provide coverage when the shelter needed to be open. The discussion over full-time officers continues.

Women’s March

A Women’s March on Washington was held the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Many people from the Upper Delaware Valley turned out to have their voices heard. The aim of the march wasn’t to protest the fact that Trump won the election. Rather, it was a way to send a message to the new administration that women’s rights are human rights.

The event’s website (www.womens march.com) said, “We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families—recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.”

Millennium Pipeline and compressor

The Millennium Pipeline Company’s Northeast System Upgrade faced legal challenges from a number of fronts. A couple that lives slightly more than half a mile from the site of the proposed Millennium Pipeline Compressor Station threatened legal action over their home’s loss in value. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network challenged the process by which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved permits for the project, which includes the compressor station near Eldred. Another Millennium project, the Valley Lateral Pipeline, which will carry gas from the pipeline to the Competitive Power Ventures power plant in Orange County, was briefly halted by a federal court in a dispute between FERC and the New York Department Environmental Conservation, but that pipeline is once again under construction.

Faso’s votes

Congressman John Faso, who stepped into Chris Gibson’s seat, and now represents Sullivan County and all or part of 10 other counties, twice voted to move forward with legislation that would have repealed the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. He wavered over whether or not to vote in favor of a tax plan that would harm many middle-class New York residents who itemize and deduct their state and local taxes from their federal tax bills, but ultimately he voted against. With his district now one of the most competitive in the country, there are now  six Democrats running for his seat.

Liberty summer camp zoning

 Hundreds of residents filed into the Town of Liberty meeting in the spring to object to the fact that a summer camp was planned to be located in a residential neighborhood. The town board listened as many members of the community spoke out against the placement of a summer camp on Castle Hill Road. The board ultimately voted to grant a one-year moratorium on the construction of summer camps to give town officials time to study zoning issues related to summer camps. A few days later, Supervisor Charlie Barbuti announced that he was leaving town government, in a move that seemed related to the moratorium decision. That ultimately led to the November election of former Town Justice Brian Rourke as supervisor.

County jail saga

The progress on the construction of the new Sullivan County jail has continued smoothly, with very few cost overruns except one, which was related to the removal of more tons of rock from the site than expected. The project is reportedly running on time and under budget, and is expected to be ready to take inmates in the fall of 2018.

The Toronto Reservoir

The Toronto Reservoir, and specifically the question of whether members of the public may swim in it, is back before a federal appeals court. The New York State Department of Health (DOH) ruled that the public access actually constitutes a “bathing beach,” and as such needs some amenities such as a public restroom and lifeguard. An administrative law judge ruled earlier this year that the state DOH does not have the authority to overrule the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and thus the DOH can’t block people from swimming in the reservoir because FERC rules allow it. That decision is being appealed.

Narrowsburg Deck

After years of investigating the cost and the design of a new deck on Main Street in Narrowsburg, a replacement deck was built this year, and unveiled in time to play host to a town Christmas Tree lighting this season.

Developer Lamm pleads guilty to fraud

Developers Shalom Lamm and Kenneth Nakdimen both pleaded guilty to voter fraud charges this year in connection with the building of the controversial project Villages at Chestnut Ridge. Lamm got 10 months in prison; his partner Nakdimen got six months. Neighbors had been saying for years that Lamm had been committing various crimes in connection with the project and was seeking to take over the government of the smallest village in the state. Lamm allegedly placed items such as toothbrushes in empty apartment buildings that he owned and back-dated leases to people who did not live in them.

Power-plant protests

A judge ruled this year that actor/activist James Cromwell, Pramilla Malick and Madeline Shaw had to spend time behind bars because they refused to pay a $300 fine for briefly blocking traffic in 2015 into the Competitive Power Ventures power plant in Orange County, which was under construction at that time. The three were jailed, but only stayed the weekend.

Sullivan County Executive

After examining proposed changes to the county charter for nearly 30 months, the Sullivan County Charter Commission delivered its final report to the county legislature on June 15. The report contained the recommendation of a fundamental change to county government: switching from a government with an elected legislature and appointed county manager to one with an elected county executive who would replace the county manager, with the legislature remaining in an oversight capacity.

This will happen only if the existing legislature decides the question should be put to a vote of the people. So far, a majority of the county legislature has shown little interest in letting the proposal advance.

FFMP expires

The Flexible Flow Management Plan (FFMP) expired this year, which could have seriously impacted water releases from the Catskill Reservoirs into the East Branch and West Branch and Upper Delaware River. The plan expired because New Jersey declined to renew it unless the other Decree Parties—New York City, New York State, Pennsylvania and Delaware—met certain demands. These included its right to certain levels of diversions even in times of drought and the re-evaluation of the total amount of water in the system. Ultimately, the parties came up with a compromise that satisfied not only New Jersey, but various other constituencies, including fishery advocates. Among other things, they received not only assurance that a study would be done to develop a thermal relief plan designed to protect the river’s cold-water trout fishery, but also that  a bank of water would be reserved for that purpose.

Apollo Plaza plans change again

The Apollo Plaza has hosted no shops or shoppers since the Monitcello Village officials ordered it closed in 2003. Since then, plans to use for other purposes have waxed and waned, and ultimately all have fizzled. At one time, the Apollo Plaza was going to be home to a big box store, but the box stores weren’t interested. One developer wanted to turn it into an upscale truck stop. Then, part of it was going to be the site of an aquaponics operation that would raise fish and produce in a symbiotic relationship. Most recently, in January 2015, developer Butch Resnick bought the property from the county for $600,000 and planned to open a grocery store and other retail outlets on the property. Now Resnick wants to sell it to Jeffrey Wu, who would turn into a Chinese grocery store.

Casino plans move forward

The casino, now called Resorts World Catskills, plans to open two weeks ahead of schedule in 2018. The opening will coincide with the Chinese Year of the Dragon, and the enterprise plans to work closely with a number of Asian clientele. Empire Resorts is the company that owns the Monticello Raceway and is the company that will operate the casino. The largest stockholder of Empire Resorts is now Kien Huat, a family trust that is also the largest stockholder of Genting Berhard, a Malaysia-based company. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Genting Bhd… engages in the leisure and hospitality, oil palm plantations, property development, biotechnology, and oil and gas businesses.”

Eldred bullying

A jury this year awarded Anthony Motta Jr. $1 million to be paid by Eldred School District. The jury found that the district did not take sufficient actions to protect Motta Jr. from several bullies in the school. The case prompted the reassignment of principal Scott Krebs, and lead to the creation of a bullying task force at the school.

Pond Eddy Bridge replacement

After years of opposition from residents who wanted to keep the original Pond Eddy Bridge, which dates back to 1903, construction crews finally accomplished a substantial amount of work on a new bridge, slightly upstream of the old one. The building required that a stone causeway be created half way across the river on the New York side, then later moved to the Pennsylvania side, which upset some environmentalists. The construction project continues.