ELDRED, NY — Not everyone has signed on the dotted line yet, but policing services provided by the Sullivan County Sheriff in the Town of Highland are set to begin on January 1.

At the December 13 meeting of the Highland Town Board, the board agreed to enter into an agreement with the sheriff to provide weekend coverage with a designated deputy.

The sheriff and the county now need to sign the $100,000 agreement, according to attorney to the town Michael Davidoff. The signing of this agreement, which both parties can make null and void with 30-days’ notice, means that a deputy will provide coverage for the same hours that the Town of Highland constables provided (before they were suspended in April), and that the town will pay $72.10 per person-hour for the coverage. The agreement outlines that the designated deputy will be on duty April 15 through October 15 on Fridays from 4 p.m. to midnight, from 8 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. During winter hours, no deputy will be on duty on Sundays. The 2022 budget had $104,000 in the constable expense line.

The board said that the memorandum of understanding covers the additional deputy coverage and will not impact the regular patrolling duties that the sheriff’s department routinely provides to all towns in Sullivan County.

Former town clerk Doreen Hanson was not pleased. She spoke during the first public comment period.

“You know what I feel,” she began, “as I wrote each one of you a letter.” She said that since Highland’s beginning, some 150 years ago, the town has always had a constabulary. “Don’t you need to disband the force?” she asked.

Davidoff responded, “Not yet. Not until the board approves the contract and the county signs off on it. When that’s done, we’ll disband the force.” He also added that research had been done and there was nothing in the town’s codes that established the force, and no code change was needed to disband it.

“I think that there needs to be [a] public hearing,” Hanson replied. “It’s a done deal and the public should have been able to put their input in. That’s all I have to say.”

“Thank you, Doreen, for your comments,” supervisor Jeff Haas said, in closing down the comment period before moving onto the regular board business.

In a related matter during the second public comment period, Bernard Kozykowski addressed the board about a letter in support of constable Marc Anthony that his daughter, Karen Hirtz, had sent to area papers and to the town board to be read at the meeting. He handed in a copy of the letter, which town clerk Sue Hoffman said had not been received via mail, and Kozykowski asked that it be included with the meeting minutes. Kozykowski also took the board to task for the lack of traffic control at the lighting event at the Eldred corners on December 4. “I was shaken by the danger that was there.”

Councilmember Kaitlin Haas said that it was the responsibility of the business owner who hosted the event to ask the town for support.

“It’s a dangerous situation that you don’t want to repeat again,” Kozykowski said. “You were aware that something was going on and with your fiduciary responsibility to protect the town, please be more aware and protect us.”

In other business, the board set a public hearing on Tuesday, January 3 at 6:30 p.m., for a new local law regulating the placement of a cannabis dispensary within the town’s hamlets. Councilmember Fred Bosch, who has been working with the Laberge Group, the town’s consultant on the matter, said that the new law, among other definitions, stipulated the distance required from public property, including churches, schools, the library and parks, that would need to be maintained in considering a suitable location for a dispensary.

In receiving a certificate of appreciation on December 13, retired councilman Jim Gutekunst said that he enjoyed his time on the board and that the …

The board also entered into an agreement with the Town of Highland Amublance Services for use of a portion of the emergency services building adjacent to the town hall. The service will have sole use of the office, the bathroom and the bay that was previously occupied by the constable patrol car. The Yulan Fire Department uses the other bay.

Additionally, the board entered into a merchant-processing application and agreement with MuniciPay so that Highland property owners are able to pay their real estate taxes online.

The board set a reorganizational meeting for Tuesday, January 3 at 7 p.m., following the public hearing on amendments to the town zoning law regarding cannabis. It announced that a GoFundMe page had been established for the Blanchard family, who lost their home to fire. (See page 4.) Kaitlin Haas, of the emergency management committee, urged all residents to pay particular attention to external power generation and proper use of space heaters and wood-burning fires during the winter heating season.

The meeting ended with cake and coffee in celebration and honor of retired councilman Jim Gutekunst, who served on the town board in multiple capacities for more than 28 years. “It’s been very rewarding,” he said. “The town is in good hands with the board we have now.”

The next regular town board meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 9, 2023.