By Geoff Samuels
Margaretville Mayor Bill Stanton has gone on the record about the controversy that arose when Freshtown Marketplace owners Dan and Noah Katz erected an “aqua berm” around their building in the hope of averting another disaster like the one caused by last year’s Hurricane Irene.

In an interview with the News last Thursday, Stanton said unequivocally that it was his decision, on that fateful Saturday a day-and-a-half before Superstorm Sandy smashed into the New York-New Jersey Coastline, to permit the owners of Freshtown to erect the protective structure.

Staff Report
Construction of a much anticipated cell tower is nearing completion in Arkville.
The tower went up rather quietly over the course of the last few weeks. Verizon, which is the wireless carrier, hopes to be able to put the tower to use in December. Permanent cell phone service for the Town of Middletown appears to be just weeks away.

“We’re going to be putting our equipment on that site hopefully by the end of the year,” said John O’Malley, the company spokesperson. “We’re waiting for electricity and land-line service as well.”

By Geoff Samuels
The community home for developmentally disabled people at 123 Church Street in Margaretville was vacated on Monday morning, November 19.
Diane Galusha, communications director at the Catskill Watershed Corporation who lives on that street, said that two large vans were parked in front of the three-story Victorian house early that morning with “a lot of activity going on,” and later that evening, the place was dark.

By Brian Sweeney
 The Delaware County Electric Cooperative (DCEC) Inc. has shut down its Waste-to-Energy Project because of continued high operation costs.

Officials at the DCEC said this week that the Waste-to-Energy Project has been consistently hindered by a lack of gas from the Delaware County Landfill in Walton, resulting in lower-than-expected power generation.

DCEC officials estimate that closing down the project will result in a loss of approximately $1.91 million to the cooperative, based on the initial cost of construction.

Staff report
It has been a truly remarkable week for a filmmaker David France, who splits his time between New Kingston and Manhattan. His film, “How to Survive a Plague” has been included on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences “Best Documentary” short list.

In other words, France could win an “Oscar.” His film is one of 15 from which the Academy may
decide to nominate for the most coveted prize in the motion picture industry.

By Geoff Samuels
Big ideas for solving big problems emerged at Monday mornings’ Flood Commission meeting, but along with them came the stark reality of today’s severe funding limitations. With two major hurricanes having hit the Northeast within a little more than a year’s span, a new sense of urgency could be felt.

By Jay Braman Jr.
A former Crossroads Ventures employee has been appointed to be the new building inspector in the Town of Shandaken.

Al Frisenda was voted in at the November meeting of the Shandaken Town Board, with Supervisor Rob Stanley supporting the measure along with board members Doris Bartlett, Jack Jordan and Alfie Higley. Councilman Vince Bernstein opposed.

By Jay Braman Jr.
Long-time Fleischmanns Village Trustee Fred Woller, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor just last year, has resigned from his post.

The resignation was announced by Mayor Todd Pascarella last week at the village board meeting. No explanation for Woller’s resignation was given. Woller was re-elected to another two-year term just this past March.

Stamford — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on recently charged four people with 85 violations of New York’s Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) in Delaware and Schoharie counties.

“Thanks to the month-long investigation and dedicated work of our Environmental Conservation Officers (ECO), DEC was able to successfully solve this particularly egregious wildlife crime,” said ECO Major Tim Duffy. “We will continue to fully investigate all complaints and are thankful for a watchful public who often brings these issues to our attention.”

By Brian Sweeney
The Interfaith Council voted unanimously on Monday to accept the Holy Innocents Catholic Church as a member of the organization.

The vote follows a recent public outcry during which a number of area residents protested on Social Media over the council’s lack of action to admit the Halcottsville-based church as a member.
The church’s support of same-gender marriage was cited by supporters of Holy Innocents as the reason that the church had not been admitted into the council.