COCHECTON, NY — Life-long Cochecton resident Earl Bertsch served on the Cochecton planning board for 24 years. He passed away in September at the age of 85. 

To memorialize his 24 years of service, the Cochecton Town Board entered a tribute and a memorial resolution into the minutes at its October 8 board meeting. The board appointed a new member to take his place, as well as an alternate. 

The board thanked Joy Bertsch for her service to the Cochecton Planning Board. She will retire as clerk at the end of 2024.

Earl Bertsch’s obituary tells the story of a long history of community involvement, working for the county and SUNY Sullivan.

In other business, the board: 

• discussed the increasing costs to maintain the town’s trucks with recent mechanical breakdowns due to degradation caused by road salts. The board will consider buying a new truck fitted with a plow and sander, and explore costs during the budget process. 
• discussed the recent rash of activated fire alarms and agreed to look into how other towns regulate the issue; some local communities levy fines after a certain number of false alarms.
• approved a request by the Lake Huntington Presbyterian Church to hold its annual bake sale at the town hall on Election Day, November 5.  
• heard Upper Delaware Council representative Larry Richardson report concerns about the influx of the spotted lantern fly. Richardson said that there have been large infestations of the nuisance insect in nearby Orange County and in Northeast Pennsylvania, though recent numbers have tapered off in the past year.

The Cochecton Town Board meets on the second Wednesday of each month.  The next meeting will be November 13.  A work session begins at 7 p.m., followed by the regular business meeting at 7:30 p.m.