ELDRED, NY — Saying that he hoped not to miss anyone, Highland Supervisor Jeff  Haas tried to thank all of the town officials and volunteers, both organized and individually, who left their own homes and families to help their neighbors during the storms and related emergencies during the period of March 2 to 11.

His list included town hall staff, who became cooks; housing coordinators; emergency supply distributors; and people who listened to the worries of frightened residents. It was a long list. He asked twice during the telling if he had remembered his wife, Leanne. He had. There was special mention of the town constables, all of whom were on duty. “They were my eyes and ears,” he said. There were certificates of appreciation for the Highland Lake and Yulan fire departments, their auxiliaries and the American Legion Ambulance Service. He did forget the efforts of the highway department and Councilwoman Kaitlin Haas, but corrected the omission at the end of his list.

County manager Josh Potosek and deputy county manager Daniel Depew wrote to thank the town for its efforts in the county’s “blizzard” response. “Your support, cooperation and knowledge were crucial to ensuring a successful recovery, providing relief to suffering residents, rendering aid to businesses and travelers and maintaining a close eye on safety and shelter… We have no doubt that while this may be remembered as one of the worst natural disasters in our county’s history, it will also be recalled as a shining, inspiring example of how our communities pulled together, how what separates us no longer mattered.”

Moving on to post-storm issues at the April 10 meeting, highway superintendent Tom Ebers said it appeared that the town would not be eligible federal disaster assistance. Gov. Cuomo declared an emergency, but no emergency declaration ever came from Donald Trump. “Only three little towns got the worst of it,” Ebers said.

Supervisor Haas said he would contact state and federal legislators. “There are other avenues,” he said. Haas also said the town would be represented in Monticello at an April 25 public hearing of the New York State Public Service Commission, which is investigating utility response efforts during the storm. Town and state officials have been critical of the delayed responses of both New York State Electric & Gas and Orange & Rockland Utilities. “We complained long and hard for days and NYSEG made atrocious misstatements projecting restoration of service,” Haas said.

“There has to be mitigation of the trees that fell in streams,” Councilman Jim Gutekunst said.

“There are lots of crisscrossed trees in Halfway and Beaver brooks and lots of houses [that previously were not] are threatened,” Supervisor Haas said.

“Trout fishermen aren’t going to be able to get to them,” Councilman Jim Hanson said.

Supervisor Haas said the town has a state permit to remove them, but no machines can enter the streams. “Anything else is OK. [The Department of Environmental Conservation] is relaxing some requirements,” Supervisor Haas said.

Highway barn construction

In other business, after agreeing it had no negative environmental impact, the board unanimously approved a resolution to bond up to $2 million for the completion of the town’s new and relocated highway barn. Supervisor Haas noted that with $620,000 in approved grant funding and another $180,000 anticipated, the actual bond amount would be “more like $1 million.”

Hanson noted that had it been legally possible for the town to use a simple construction loan, the borrowed amount would have been $700,000 or $800,000, but the grants required bonded funding.

“The old barn is worth a lot money, if it’s sold. [Located behind the Eldred library,] it’s a very desirable spot,” Gutekunst said. He said operating expenses at the new building would be less and the board agreed that there would be an additional $2,800 savings, since flood insurance would no longer be needed.

Highland was to open plumbing and mechanical bids for the new building on April 18.

Additionally, the board discussed but took no position on the announcement of an April 16 Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency hearing, regarding plans for a new $12 million proposal to rebuild and reopen the Eldred Preserve restaurant and motel (see story page 1); heard Councilwoman Haas call for volunteers to help create new hiking trails in the state’s Hickok Brook Multiple Use Area; named the 2018 clean-up day for Saturday, May 19, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon; agreed to hire a part-time person for lawn-mowing; and named alternate-members to both the planning and zoning board of appeals: Doreen Sweeney to planning and Joe Miedreich to the ZBA.