GLEN SPEY, NY — Lumberland Highway Superintendent Donald “Bosco” Hunt was the subject of a June 8 town board proclamation of recognition last week, and it had nothing to do with the roads.

One month earlier, on May 8, Hunt saved two boaters from injury or death after their canoe capsized on the Delaware below Cedar Rapids, near Barryville.

Hunt, accompanied by his wife Cheryl Hunt, was driving home that Sunday on Route 97 after an errand to return a piece of borrowed equipment, when Cheryl spotted a middle-aged couple in the water out in the river.

Hunt, a long-time Lumberland Fire Department member and former chief, immediately stopped the family car, directed Cheryl to call 911, and scrambled down the steep embankment to their assistance.

Lumberland Fire Department President Ann Steimle, who first recounted the story to the town board last month, said Hunt took action without any rescue equipment or backup.

The woman shouted her fear that her husband might be suffering a heart attack and losing his grip.

Hunt shouted directions and encouragement, following the canoe downstream along the rugged shore for a quarter-mile as the couple worked toward shore, retrieved the cyanotic man from the water and stayed with the couple until other aid arrived.

Both boaters survived the incident.

The board’s proclamation said that Hunt “epitomizes the true meaning of volunteerism, professionalism and dedication to his community,” and recognized him “for his service and dedication to the Town of Lumberland.”

Steimle put it more simply earlier, saying, “Bosco saved a life.”

The board’s unanimous adoption of the proclamation was met by a standing ovation from the meeting audience.

In other business last week, the board opened a scheduled public hearing on the demolition of an unsafe building, the fire-damaged building at 142 Berme-Church Rd.; noted that the owner had subsequently had the structured demolished; and removed and rescinded the demolition order.

The board scheduled and later cancelled a special June 13 meeting on the review of possible changes to Lumberland’s comprehensive plan; considered a resolution allowing the town to exceed the state-mandated tax increase ceiling based on notice of a likely 10.22% health-insurance rate increase and likely cost increases from a new highway department contract; discussed Internet “cloud” storage of town records; heard historian Frank Schwarz report that the historic town hall had been included in the new National Geographic Society’s “Nat Geo” website for the “Scenic Wild Delaware River”; and heard Linda Hazen’s extensive report on this year’s efforts for the town’s award-winning beautification program.