Highland bids farewell to Barnes

Town acquires riverfront property; bans tobacco use

By SANDY LONG

ELDRED, NY — The Town of Highland bid farewell to supervisor Steve Barnes at its recent town meeting and will welcome a new supervisor in 2008 when Tina Palacek assumes her role as the township’s first woman supervisor.

The board also announced the recent acquisition of riverfront property offered for donation earlier this year by Aaron Robinson. “We now own it as of Saturday [December 8] and it’s insured,” said councilman Donald Rupp. The property is located on River Road in the town of Barryville. Adjacent lots were purchased from Robinson by current property owners.

The board also approved a motion to eliminate the use of all tobacco products on or in all town buildings, properties and vehicles, which are town property.

After receiving praise for successfully maintaining the town’s roadways during recent snow and ice events, highway superintendent Norm Sutherland expressed his concerns about the rate of speed that drivers were traveling while the roads were slick. “People were flying!” Sutherland exclaimed. “People have to learn to slow down when the road conditions aren’t good.”