Tusten generators, drinking water, comprehensive plan

By LINDA DROLLINGER
Posted 7/31/19

NARROWSBURG, NY — At its July 23 meeting, the Tusten Town Board set in motion the initial stages of three separate projects: replacement of six generators in the town’s municipal …

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Tusten generators, drinking water, comprehensive plan

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NARROWSBURG, NY — At its July 23 meeting, the Tusten Town Board set in motion the initial stages of three separate projects: replacement of six generators in the town’s municipal buildings; an environmental study of Narrowsburg’s drinking water supply; and development of a new town comprehensive plan.

The purpose of a comprehensive plan is to describe the infrastructure, architecture, green spaces and natural phenomena, as well as commercial, residential and recreational zones that characterize a locality. Zoning law must then comply with guidelines established in the comprehensive plan.

The most recent comprehensive plan for Tusten, adopted in 2007, can be viewed in its entirety (48 pages) either on the town’s website or on a CD in the reference section of the Tusten-Cochecton Branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library, where it is available for in-library use.

Reiterating the need for review and revision of the 2007 comprehensive plan, council member Jane Luchsinger quoted world-famous planner Ed McMahon, “Change is a certainty; it comes in two varieties: planned and unplanned.” Luchsinger added, “We want our change to be of the planned variety.” The cost for development of the new plan is expected to be offset by an Upper Delaware Council Technical Assistance Grant.

Code enforcement officer Jim Crowley said he will meet with Delaware Engineering, the firm that submitted the lowest request-for-proposal bid regarding an environmental study of Narrowsburg’s public drinking water supply. That meeting will kick start what is expected to be a year-long study.

Recent prolonged power outages in the area have highlighted the need for upgrading six generators that provide emergency backup power to Tusten’s municipal buildings, including the town hall undercroft that occasionally serves as temporary housing for people displaced by extreme weather.

In other business, the board voted unanimously (minus absent Jill Padua and Tony Ritter) to extend a severance agreement to longtime town highway department employee Don McConnell, who has requested early retirement. Supervisor Carol Ropke Wingert noted that this is a fairly common practice in local municipalities and that it offers some financial benefit to the town. McConnell, who is earning at the top of his salary range, can now be replaced by someone at the lower end of the wage scale. His retirement will be effective August 31.

Council member Brandi Merolla said enthusiastic response to the soft plastic recycling program the town is sponsoring has qualified Tusten to participate in a six-month collection drive, beginning August 1. If it collects at least 500 pounds of clean, dry plastic bags and packaging, the beneficiary company, Trex, a leading maker of composite decking, will gift the town a bench.

Collection boxes are currently located at the Tusten Town Hall, Pete’s Market, St. Francis Roman Catholic Church and the Narrowsburg Post Office, but additional collection points will soon be available.

For more information, see the Tusten Energy Committee post at https://www.facebook.com/TownofTusten/

Tusten, drinking water, comprehensive plant

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