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Buyouts Silence
Town Board Rejects Distel's Cost Savings

WAWARSING – Town supervisor Leonard Distel's pitch to potentially save taxpayers $17,364 a year was met by silence during the town board's February 16 meeting.

"I didn't expect that to pass, because the guys are too hungry," Distel said afterwards. "I mean I would have lost $4,341, too."

The supervisor's idea, first put forth earlier in the month, was to eliminate health insurance buyouts that three of the four councilmen, plus the supervisor, receives. He said Wawarsing was the only Ulster County town with such a policy, at least among towns with similar populations, and added that at $13,832 a year, the town board's salaries are higher than Shawangunk's at $12,033, Saugerties and Ulster at $10,000 and New Paltz at $6,854. Adding the health insurance buyouts, the total Wawarsing budget line for council salaries was $72,692 for what he reiterated was "a part-time job."

During discussions last month when the town board approved a 17 percent raise for themselves, Distel took offense. The councilmen said the raise was justified by the significant amount of time each put into their positions, while Distel maintained his stance regarding full versus part time work. The board countered by eliminating the supervisor's $6,000 budget officer stipend.

In other news last week, Distel spoke about $20,000 in state grant funding available for townships with the best proposed plans for dissolving and sharing services and how Wawarsing should be in the running for such money.

"It's time for the two governments to merge," he said, adding that there were many steps to undertake in that process including separate permissive referendums, consideration of the village debt and the use of various government buildings. "They want consolidation."

During councilperson concerns, Terry Houck continued discussions on last year's Federal Aviation Authority audit of the town airport and how a recent meeting between town representatives, the FAA and Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum seemed to go well. On a side note, he added that discussions during that meeting included the possibility of the town receiving a design grant for the construction of sidewalks in the vicinity.

Houck also noted that the town is preparing to clear the rail trail easement granted by the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision as soon as the weather breaks. In addition, he said that the town's comprehensive plan committee will be wrapping up within the next few months.

Councilman Dan Johnson said that given the success from renting Lippman Park's two pavilions each summer, the town is considering the construction of a third pavilion twice the size of the current ones.

Councilman Steve Bradley pointed out that Napanoch sewer district improvements are going well, and that an additional state "Small Cities" grant of $750,000 will be sought for future phases. Meanwhile, though, eighty Kerhonkson residents still haven't signed up for their free water meters for the funded program, which includes installation.

Plans are finally being drawn for the construction of a new highway barn. An agreement between the town and Delaware Engineering has been signed and design work should commence shortly. Also, it was announced that the Sportsmen Road bridge will be closed from March 13 into July for construction.



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