LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, August 18 to 24

Sewer Park

Posted 8/16/22

Remember years ago when the Town of Tusten kinda banished the prospect of ecotourism from Tentrr in Tusten Township? Because they didn’t like the five-gallon bucket for poo with disposable compostable bags?

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, August 18 to 24

Sewer Park

Posted

Remember years ago when the Town of Tusten kinda banished the prospect of ecotourism from Tentrr in Tusten Township? Because they didn’t like the five-gallon bucket for poo with disposable compostable bags? And some council members at the time added, “There will be trash left all the way back to the city on Route 97.”

Well, imagine a $43 million dollar “water park” on Scenic Byway Route 97 in Highland, at the old 230-acre Kittatinny campground. A recently purchased and proposed water park with a “mountain coaster,” by a company that has many lawsuits against them, and that is notable for pedestrian and vehicular nuisances, noise, deceptive plans, zoning issues, fraud, breaches of contract and false advertising.

How much of a proposed development can be grandfathered in?

An estimated 40,000 gallons a day of water will be used, and it will have a 34,400 gallons/day wastewater septic system.

Will the adjacent Town of Tusten approve of such a Phase 1, and set a precedent for such developments on a scenic byway, developments that will have a dangerous impact on the Delaware River and wildlife, and the quality of life for tax-paying residents?

Stormwater goes where? The stormwater and runoff are proposed to just flow right into the adjacent streams Beaver Brook and Dry Brook, and then right into the Delaware. 

How will this impact wildlife, and the two-lane scenic byway traffic?

What is the mystery Phase 2 development?

What volunteer fire department, police and emergency services can handle the population increase, pedestrian safety and vehicular traffic issues?

Will residents trying to get to their homes be stuck in traffic for hours; will the town’s businesses upstream suffer from delays from traffic jams? The company is already refusing to do a traffic study and is likely to alter Route 97.

How much of the mountain will be clear cut for the “Mountain Runoff Coaster?” Where will the runoff go? Dry Brook, the road and the bridge residents use to access their properties, are already compromised from flooding.

What about noise and light pollution for local residents and wildlife and migratory birds?

Will there be approval for unsightly billboards?

No tax revenue for 10 years from a proposed Phase 1 $43 million nationwide development investment franchise?

Please talk to your local town officials about this matter, and attend the next UDC Project Review Committee meeting on August 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Narrowsburg, NY. And write to the National Park Service to voice your opinion on this! The Town of Highland has yet to announce a public hearing, but slotted for September, so be informed and plan to attend!

Anie Stanley
Narrowsburg, NY

When to expect an FBI raid

The fact that the FBI executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago should concern all of us. If the government can raid the residence of former president Trump, then no one is safe.  ANYONE hiding stolen nuclear secrets in their basement can expect to have FBI agents banging at their door.

Bruce Ferguson
Callicoon Center, NY

Monticello farmers’ market is back

Great news for the area that the farmers’ market on the east end of Monticello’s Broadway—now called Lou’s Produce—is reborn with the fiscal backing of local business leader Joe Rea.

The reopening of this landmark maintains a well-known retail outlet for nutritious, locally sourced produce, under the new ownership and management of Lenny Williams with his decades in the field, while also lightening the burden of food insecurity in our community.

After shopping at the farmers’ market for more than 30 years, I think we should all be pleased at this development. I’ve also bought several cars from Rea Ford-Lincoln Inc. over the years and know and respect Joe. He invests well and keeps his word. It’s great to see an old-time business surviving.

Tom Rue
Forestburgh, NY

Uplifting stories make a difference

Once again the River Reporter in its August 4-10 issue has included articles that lift me up and make me feel optimistic about our lives here in the Upper Delaware Region.

As usual, I turn to the last page to see the informative articles about wildlife and nature, either by Scott Rando or by Sandy Long.  Sandy’s article “Setting one’s soul free” brought back those feelings of the ‘60s, when the power of music and song by such artists as Joni Mitchell impacted our views on our environment and joined us together to make positive changes in our daily lives.  I’m jealous of Ms. Long’s experience of being at that Newport Festival.

In that same issue, editor Laurie Stuart’s article “The creative pivot”  offered views on “reframing a response and finding a way to creatively pivot” in an otherwise uncomfortable position.  With the recent heat wave,  we all have been “wilted flowers.”

And Cass Collins’  “Making a house a home” points out the creative process of having our very own  special piece of paradise.

And I hope to see more cartoons by Gary Markstein, “A World Without Our Local Newspaper.”

Thank you, River Reporter.

Joann Puskarcik Morsch
Starlight, PA 

CHIPS Act is an investment in workers and the future

The New York State Laborers’ Union LECET commends the Biden administration for signing the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America (CHIPS) Act to boost domestic supply chains, combat the underinvestment in our country’s manufacturing and research and development capabilities, and bolster our technology infrastructure. All the while, it makes a strong investment in working men and women.

The inclusion of prevailing wage requirements in the CHIPS Act ensures that the hundreds of thousands of construction jobs created will provide solid middle-class wages. The men and women on these job sites will have the ability to put food on the table, take care of themselves and provide for their families.

The CHIPS Act is yet another significant step forward for the men and women who build our country from the ground up. By investing in technology infrastructure, our country is making an investment in working men and women. New York State is open for business, and the members of the New York State Laborers Union are ready to build the future. They are the BEST workforce to do it safely, with skill, on time and under budget.”

Patrick Purcell, executive director, New York State Laborers’ LECET
Albany, NY

NYSUT endorses Riley, Gunther, Oberacker

The New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) has issued endorsements in primary races for state Senate and Assembly. 

From Albany to Washington, we need representatives who will help us support public schools as the center of every community. These candidates are partners who will put public school students, families and educators—from pre-K through post-grad—first. We stand with them in fighting to secure the resources necessary for schools to provide a high-quality, 21st-century education, and to enact the policies that help our students thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

NYSUT-endorsed candidates receive grassroots support from NYSUT members, including phone banking, door knocking and literature distribution. The union also makes financial contributions from voluntary donations through the union’s VOTE-COPE non-partisan political action committee. 

The following candidates are endorsed by NYSUT:

Congressional District 19: Josh Riley

Assembly District 100: Aileen Gunther

Senate District 51: Peter Oberacker

Andy Pallotta, president, NYSUT
Albany, NY

Tusten, sewage, fbi, mar-a-lago, farmer's market, river reporter, CHIP

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