NARROWSBURG, NY — An industrial-size container of hand sanitizer and a pile of COVID-19 information packets lay just inside the community hall doorway prior to the start of the March 10 Tusten Town Board meeting. Supervisor Ben Johnson wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room. To a gathering so sparse that the newly-installed microphone system was almost unnecessary, he said, “Thanks for coming during this virus outbreak; we appreciate your interest and support. As more information about the outbreak becomes available, it will be available on Tusten’s website, along with the following link to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control at www.bit.ly/tusteninfo.” Information about triage, testing and local treatment facilities is available from the Sullivan County Public Health Services.

On March 13, a declaration of emergency notice from Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek was posted to Tusten’s website. Check the site for information on county office closures, school closures and other extraordinary government measures taken to contain the outbreak.

Tusten has begun an ambitious revision process that starts with rewriting its 10-year-old comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan survey is now accessible online at www.bit.ly/tustensurvey. So that residents can determine the shape of their town for years to come, Johnson urges them to complete the survey by the Friday, April 3 deadline.

Tusten Grant Committee Chair Jane Luchsinger said the committee is exploring an application for a $400,000 Community Impact Grant available through Sullivan Renaissance. If awarded, funding would go toward construction or renovation of a building that could house the community hall, the Tusten Youth Commission, a senior center, the Tusten Historical Society, town hall historical records and/or Western Sullivan Public Library archives, as well as a first-of-its-kind town museum, proposed by former town clerk Kathy Michell.

Luchsinger noted that the community impact project is still in the preliminary phase and will require the completion of a feasibility study before the grant application can be finalized. Suggesting that Delaware Engineering be engaged for the feasibility study, Luchsinger noted that Tusten is already using that firm for a feasibility analysis related to the environmental study of Narrowsburg’s public drinking water supply.

Per the Sullivan Renaissance website, “Community Impact Grants are available to Sullivan County municipalities to complete capital projects that will have a transformational impact and leverage other funding. A grant review committee will review up to five projects and award two Community Impact Grants. Projects must be completed within two years.”

Star Hesse appealed to residents to complete their federal census forms due in April because data retrieved from the most recent census is essential to grant applications.

In other business, Josh Feldenstein of Catskill Energy Homes was appointed Tusten representative to Upper Delaware Scenic Byway.

As outdated Narrowsburg streetlamp incandescent bulbs are replaced with new LED bulbs, wireless internet nodules will be mounted atop the armatures and will provide public internet access to homes within a specified distance of the streetlamps. Wireless receivers in homes will be necessary to take advantage of the public wifi.

One of the last business items discussed was a challenge of longstanding: lack of parking space in Narrowsburg, particularly on Bridge Street. Although several short-term solutions were proposed, Johnson pointed out that the cause of the problem is parking spaces designed for Model Ts, not F-150s.

Tusten offices staffed, closed to public

 An emergency Tusten Town Board meeting was held on March 16 to let the public know that, effective immediately, Tusten town offices will be staffed during normal business hours, but closed to the public. Completed forms and paperwork may be deposited in a drop box located next to the entrance to town hall.

It is suggested that town business be conducted via telephone and email, whenever possible. The 7 p.m. March 23 Little Lake Erie culvert project informational meeting with Delaware Engineering will be replaced by an online video presentation by Delaware Engineering. Public comments and questions are requested in advance of March 23, and should be submitted via email to town clerk Crystal Weston at townclerk@tusten.org.