LACKAWAXEN, PA — The Lackawaxen Board of Supervisors welcomed a special guest at their meeting on November 17.

July 14, 2014 marked the appointment of Kristina Heister as the new National Park Service (NPS) superintendent of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. Heister comes with 22 years experience in NPS. She was born and raised in Malvern, a suburb of Philadelphia, into a nature-loving family that frequently vacationed in this area. She joined the NPS in 1992 after receiving a Masters degree in biology from Salisbury State University in Maryland.

Her most recent appointment, before becoming a superintendent, was chief of natural resources of the NPS Northeast Region, based in Philadelphia.

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is in a unique situation as a unit of NPS. It is equally managed by the NPS and the Upper Delaware Council, which includes representatives from most of the area municipalities in both Pennsylvania and New York.

Heister said she looks forward to working with the UDC and firmly believes in transparency in all aspects of managing the area. Preserving the water quality and managing its resources is of great importance, given that this is a rare instance in which the NPS is involved in the origin of a main source of drinking water. Management can be proactive in maintaining the quality of the water and the area of primary drainage.

Heister said NPS plans include those for the Roebling Bridge and NPS property in that area, and involve an eventual visitors’ center and maintenance of the historic bridge. Half a million dollars has been allocated for that purpose.

She also noted that on November 15, the bridge was vandalized for the first time ever, and was marked with graffiti. The incident occurred at about 5 a.m. Authorities are still investigating the incident. The graffiti removal presented a challenge for Heister, since the paint must be removed from wood, metal and stone without destroying any original work or patina.

In other news at the meeting, the township’s F550 truck was put up for sale but has not received any bids. The truck will be placed in the municipal auction with a minimum bid.

Also of note is that the Lackawaxen Board of Supervisors, which currently meets on the third Monday of every month, will meet on the third Thursday of every month, starting in January. The meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.