ELDRED, NY — “A bridge just outside the Eldred four-corners on County Road 33 (Eldred-Yulan Road) will close on Thursday, July 20 at 7 a.m., with bridge work keeping it closed for 18 days.”

That was the extent of Sullivan County’s road closure announcement. Highland’s deputy town supervisor Kaitlin Haas had follow-up questions for the county, which she reported to the town board at a July 11 meeting. Haas asked the county whether the 18 days were working days or calendar days, and whether the bridge would be usable during non-working hours.

The county responded, telling her that the shutdown would be for 18 calendar days, or hopefully fewer. The road will be fully closed during the shutdown, as there will be a “gaping hole” where the bridge was, according to Haas. 

While the shutdown is in progress, the Highland Ambulance Service will keep a fly-car on the Yulan side of the closed road. A fly-car has life-saving equipment and is suited for a first-aid response, but cannot transport patients; it can provide first response to Yulan emergencies while waiting for the ambulance to take the detour route from Eldred. The detour involves taking Route 55 to Barryville, and then travelling to Yulan via the Yulan-Barryville Road.

Protecting and serving

Also at the June 11 meeting of the Highland Town Board, Sullivan County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty gave a presentation on the sheriff’s office’s work in the town. 

Earlier in the year, Highland contracted with the sheriff’s office to provide a dedicated car during certain hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This contract replaces the services of the Town of Highland constable force, which the town suspended indefinitely in April of 2022. 

The sheriff’s office handled 252 calls for service, two felony arrests, 10 misdemeanor arrests, 98 traffic tickets and 15 accidents from January 1 to June 3, said Chaboty. 

“We provided 563 hours of patrol time within the town,” he said. “We basically followed the schedule of the former constables. Some people were under the impression that the former constables were 24/7, when they weren’t.”

The sheriff’s office provides a dedicated patrol car during the hours formerly covered by the constables, and covers other events as they happen in the town, said Chaboty. In addition, the sheriff’s office has its regular county-wide coverage, and several of its members live within the Town of Highland.“You have a very safe town compared to some of the municipalities within Sullivan County,” said Chaboty. “This is a very low-crime town and we aim to keep [it that way].” He complimented the Highland Town Board for its proactivity in pointing the sheriff’s office to potential issues within the town.

Highway superintendent

The board took no action to appoint a highway superintendent at its July 11 meeting. 

Tom Ebers, long-time highway superintendent, tendered his resignation effective November 1, 2022, citing health reasons. The town has not replaced him in the interim.

The town board had on its agenda for the night two resolutions discussing the highway superintendent’s role. One resolution approved a new superintendent through the end of 2023; the other removed a $100 weekly stipend from the deputy highway superintendent.

Deputy supervisor Haas told the River Reporter that the town board received interest from four parties for the position; of the four, two of them (Orson Davis and Jim Akt) planned to run for a full term in the general election.

“It was a discussion at our workshop meeting [on Tuesday, July 4] about appointing Jim [Akt], as he was one of the two applicants that had been interviewed and then selected by a vote,” said Haas.

At its July 11 meeting, the town board tabled both resolutions until August.

Three candidates are currently in the mix for the November elections: Joe Barnes for the Democrats, Jim Akt for the Republicans and Orson Davis for the Conservatives. Akt beat Davis in the June primary to earn the Republican nomination.