By Jay Braman Jr.
The attorneys representing the Town of Shandaken against a lawsuit filed over the expansion of the Phoenicia Library have fired back a scathing response to the allegations made by the neighbors of the property who want to stop the project.

At the same time, library officials have launched a pubic relations campaign designed to drum up support at a hearing this month for plans to expand the library building.

By Jay Braman Jr.
Non-profit groups that that suffered damage during tropical storms Irene and Lee back in late summer 2011 and got left holding the bag for repairs can now get up to $10,000 each from the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC).

By Geoff Samuels
At the Margaretville Village Board meeting last Thursday, Beth Bush, village treasurer, told the board that a large loss in revenue due to the recent re-valuation of flooded properties, as well as lower valuations for the sewer plant, would result in a steep hike in property taxes for village residents this year.

Even though this year’s budget came in at $30,000 less than last year’s, “We’re looking at a huge change…25 percent,” she told the board, as they listened in silence.

By Jay Braman Jr.
The Main Street property owners on either side of the Phoenicia Library, which was destroyed in a March 2011 fire, have filed a lawsuit against the Town of Shandaken over the recent Zoning Board of Appeals decision to grant the library a variance to rebuild on a larger scale.

By Joan Lawrence-Bauer
Known alternatively as “Mr. Fix It,” “Mr. Legion” and “Mr. Boy Scout,” Bob Hill was remembered fondly this week for a lifetime of service to his country and his community. 

By Jay Braman Jr.
Fleischmanns Village Trustees authorized the spending of almost $60,000 of taxpayer’s funds last week on specialized swift-water rescue equipment for the village’s fire department.
At a special meeting held last week Tuesday, the trustees accepted bids for the purchase of two swift water rescue boats along with equipment and training with funds to be disbursed from the Fleischmanns Volunteer Fire Department Capital Reserve Truck Fund.

By Brian Sweeney
The rebuilt and reconfigured CVS Pharmacy in Margaretville is expected to be open by May.
Dan Katz, vice president PSK Supermarkets, which owns the shopping plaza, told the News this week that he anticipates that the new store will be open in several months.

“We are trying to get the construction finished as quickly as we can and CVS would like to open in the spring (around May),” Mr. Katz stated.
He said that the new store will have a footprint of 4,500 square feet with a 1,500-square-foot mezzanine.

By Joe Moskowitz
If you have been driving around the Margaretville area lately, and you are under the impression that there seem to be an unusually large number of New York State Troopers on patrol, you’re not imagining things.

The reason is that there is a large influx of new troopers assigned to the Margaretville barracks. Seven new troopers have recently joined the ranks. Captain Nancy Poulin of the New York State Police says there are now 10 troopers stationed in Margaretville. Recently there were only six.

By Joe Moskowitz
The wait for the long-awaited Andes Health Clinic is going to be a little longer. Workers this week are putting the final touches on both the interior and exterior of the 2,800-square-foot facility.

By Geoff Samuels
Lauren Davis and Diana Cope both filed petitions to run for the position of mayor of Margaretville. The deadline for filing petitions was February 13.

The winner will succeed Bill Stanton, who decided not to seek re-election after spending 10 years as mayor. Profiles of each candidate follow. Davis has run for the mayoral post on two other occasions. This is Cope’s first campaign for public office.

Lauren Davis