Middletown

By Pauline Liu
Even before the nor’easter struck the Catskills last Saturday, the subjects of snow removal and budget cuts have been heating up the Middletown highway superintendent’s race. The incumbent, John Biruk, is Democrat-Independent who will be facing off against Republican challenger Chris Stanton next Tuesday.

By Jennifer Kabat
A hundred and twenty-five people squeezed into the Arkville Firehouse on Monday evening to listen to the four Middletown supervisor candidates debate the issues.

The place was standing room only, with people sitting on the floor and Boy Scouts lined up near the kitchen. In the audience were two mayors, a deputy mayor, town and village board members and the Town of Hardenburgh supervisor.

The Town of Middletown Preliminary Budget for 2012 reflects a zero percent increase in the tax levy.
The Tentative Budget presented to the town board by Supervisor Len Utter showed an 8.9 percent increase in the amount to be raised by taxes. The board agreed to make cutbacks of 13.5 percent in contractual spending across every department and applied approximately $35,000 in unexpended balances to reduce the tax increase to zero.

The Preliminary Budget, not including Special Districts, totals $2,956,178. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2,410,055.

By Pauline Liu
Members of the Delaware County Clerks’ Association ended their final meeting of the year with an early retirement party for one of their own. Middletown Clerk Russell Schebesta has reached a milestone. He will be retiring, when his term runs out at the end of the year, wrapping up a distinguished career that has spanned 31 years. The celebratory luncheon took place at Hamden Town Hall last Thursday. Coincidentally, the association was founded 31 years ago. It began shortly after Schebesta first took office.

By Brian Sweeney
A moderated debate among four Middletown supervisory candidates is set for Monday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Arkville Firehall.

The debate will feature three candidates running on the Independent line - Marge Miller, Joe Moskowitz, both of Arkville, and Wayd Jaquish of Fleischmanns. A fourth candidate is Jake Rosa of Arkville, who is seeking election as a write-in.

The Catskill Mountain News is sponsoring the debate. Halcott Center resident Mark Birman will serve as moderator. The debate will follow the League of Women Voters format.

Halcottsville — An exhibit of 12 digital photo collages, blended images of historic and contemporary photographs, will be on view at the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown’s (HSM) Annual Meeting on Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Old Halcottsville Grange Hall, Main Street, Halcottsville.

“Middletown: Time and Time Again,” by photographer and artist Michael Musante, will be previewed at this event before going on longer display at a local venue to be announced. The project is a visual investigation into the effects and consequences of the passing of time.

By Brian Sweeney
A Meet the Middletown Supervisory Candidates Forum, sponsored by the Catskill Mountain News, will be held Monday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Arkville Firehall.

In an unprecedented occurrence, the Town of Middletown has four candidates running for supervisor: Wayd Jaquish of Fleischmanns and Marjorie Miller, Joe Moskowitz and Jake Rosa, all Arkville residents.

Republican Supervisor Len Utter decided not to seek re-election after 12 years in office, but no candidates filed petitions on the Republican or Democratic lines by the July deadline.

By Brian Sweeney
Area taxpayers will receive a 21-day extension for paying school tax bills, during which no interest or penalties will accrue.

Officials in the Andes, Onteora and Roxbury school districts have all voted to approve the tax payment extension that was issued by the governor as a result ofthe historic August 28 flooding. The new deadline for tax payments without deadlines for property owners in these districts is October 21.

By Brian Sweeney
A total of 334 structures in the Town of Middletown sustained varying degrees of damage from the August 28 flood.

Middletown Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Patrick Davis presented a report to the town board last Tuesday outlining the work that he performed, along with other inspectors who were engaged to help assess the damage.

Mr. Davis said 77 structures in the town, 66 in Fleischmanns and 86 in Margaretville sustained damage from the historic flood.

Margaretville — Businesses in the Catskill-Delaware Watershed that sustained structural damage to their buildings as a result of flooding from tropical storms Irene and Lee may receive assistance from a new program approved by the board of directors of the Catskill Watershed Corporation on September 13.

The board also approved establishment of a separate recovery fund using money that can be donated by outside entities. The rules for this fund have not yet been finalized, but grants would be available for both businesses and nonprofit organizations and institutions.