PORT JERVIS, NY — The recent weeks of extreme cold with and the build-up of snow and ice on the Delaware River near Port Jervis came up several times at the March 9 Common Council meeting.

During public comment, a resident raised concern over what was going to happen when the snow and ice start to melt, possibly causing the river to flood and reach the streets and houses bordering it.

“I come here to propose some kind of breaking of the ice.” He explained he went ice fishing, and “I got to gauge it, and in multiple places it’s about eight inches.”

He voiced concern about possible stacking and other damages thick ice can cause when melting, reminding the council of the devastating spring flood of 1981 when 3,000 people reportedly had to flee their homes. In recent years, flooding in 2007 caused considerable damage in and around Port Jervis.

Mayor Kelly Decker assured him and other residents the city is prepared. “We have river watchers that are trained to look at the ice and the water, and to report to the proper personnel in case we need to do anything,” he said. “ As of right now, we’re not instructed to do anything at all,” he said.

He also suggested it’s not ever a good idea to go on the ice.

The question of who is responsible for clearing ice and snow from the city sidewalks also came up.

Decker announced a March 23 date for a public hearing on an amendment to a local law in the Port Jervis City Code dealing with snow and ice removal on city sidewalks and fire hydrants adjacent to properties within the city.

“This [law] talks about making sure there’s a clearance around fire hydrants, and it will be changed from 24 to 36 inches,” he reported. “It helps people with wheelchairs to be able to maneuver on the streets.”

New developments in the area of tourism include honoring the city’s history. “There’s going to be a Steven Crane Living Memorial. We’re quickly approaching 120 years of our Civil War Statue in the park,” Decker said. Steven Crane is the author of the famous “The Red Badge of Courage.” He lived in his brother’s house in Port Jervis while writing the book.

Decker added the city is on the “I Love NY” History Trail list. “We’re going to use this during the Steven Crane Memorial. We’re going to transport people to and from the cemetery, maybe at night too, to attract people to the area.”

The historic Laurel Grove Cemetery is on New York State’s Haunted History Trail list. It includes the Tri-State Rock, located where New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and the Neversink and Delaware rivers meet.

The trail website says there are well-documented “unexplained crashing sounds that occasionally disturb the peace of this beautiful setting, or the woman dressed in a flowing white gown who suddenly appears from behind a mausoleum, runs from river to river, then disappears.”

Another development in the effort to attract tourism is the city council’s endorsement of the joint application of Deerpark and Tri-State Chamber for an America’s Best Communities Grant, that could bring in $3 million. Decker said, “This is about our Whitewater Park, and some of the trail systems in Deerpark that we’re looking to enhance.”

The grant is offered by Frontier-Dish TV.

Decker explained he saw it as an opportunity to work as a team for imaginative solutions to the joint Deerpark/Port Jervis area. “We’re rich in history and natural resources, and we’re starting our way from a small-time poverty-ridden town to be prosperous and technically connected to 21st century,” he said.