EFD Fire House Vote
The council approved the use of one voting machine for the Ellenville Fire District vote on Tuesday, January, 29 to be held at the Greenfield Park Fire House. Several of those in attendance at the meeting expressed their dissatisfaction with the prospects of the vote, and one asked the assembled people why the vote was being held outside of the village even though the vote affects Ellenville residents. The board responded by saying that the location of the vote is outside of their jurisdiction, but that they would suggest to the fire company to provide for some form of transportation or bussing to allow village residents to more easily participate in the vote.

Where The Streets Have No Names
The town board discussed approving the following proposed road names for the Ulster Heights subdivision, known as Ulster Heights Homes, by Catskills Home and Land Developers: Ulster Heights Drive, Liberty Drive, Suzzanne Drive, and Catskills Drive. The approval request came at the suggestion of the planning board's engineers, Lanc & Tully, P.C., who claim that they cannot move ahead with the development plans until after the name-approval process, an assertion with which Town Attorney William Collier did not agree. The board decided to delay the approval process until further discussion with Lanc & Tully takes place, and until the development is approved.

Planning Board Training
The board voted to approve the expense for the following Planning Board members to attend the Association of Towns' 2008 Training School and Annual Meeting Conference held at the New York Hilton Hotel in New York City from February 17 to February 19: Martin Lonstein, Paul Lonstein, John Constable, and Daniel Little. According to Town Clerk Jane Eck, the cost for each person to attend the conference last year was $844, not counting travel expenses, which the town board reimburses to those who attend.

Workshop Worries
Councilwoman Theresa Hyatt raised a concern regarding the scheduling of the town board workshop meetings that occur on the second and fourth Mondays of every month, when they are deemed "necessary."

Her concern stemmed from the lack of protocol regarding being informed of the workshops being held, and she was further concerned regarding the impact such meetings can potentially have on the public and its perception of the board as being secretive, especially because the board occasionally decides to hold votes during these meetings.

Councilmen Houck and Gavaris explained that the meetings were public, and that residents are able to attend, but Hyatt countered by claiming that the meetings' early time-slot � 3:30 pm � prevented the possibility of people who work during the day to attend.

A resident in attendance called the meetings further into question, asking how residents can be informed that there is or is not one of these extra meetings during any of the possible weeks, to which the board's response was to call Town Hall to find out. It was concluded that the board would suggest to Supervisor Jennings to make one or both of the extra workshops mandatory so as to avoid the appearance of secrecy and to allow residents more opportunity and ability to attend.

Splish-Splash
Councilman Terry Houck updated the board on his progress with the Lippman Park master plan, and the addition of a splash pool for town residents during the summer, and the dredging of the pond so as to improve the area. Audience response seemed positive for the Lippman Park plans.

Peddle To The Meddle
Carol Shamro attended the board meeting with her son, Richard, to point out what they claim to be the unfair construction of the newly adopted

"Peddlers and Solicitors" law, which they say was created in such a way as to target Carol Shamro and her hot dog vending business. Richard, speaking to the board on behalf of his mother, pointed out two aspects of the law in particular, such as the Town Supervisor's ability to revoke a peddler's license based solely on the accusation of wrongdoing, and the provision that a peddler cannot remain in one spot for more than thirty minutes, and the inability for said peddler to remain within a quarter mile of each subsequent location.

Councilman Houck, who ran the meeting in Supervisor Jennings's staid, said that the Shamros' arguments were valid, and that they would look at revising or repealing the law at the next town board meeting.

Lounge Act
The board answered questions regarding the proposed sheriff's sub-station and pilot's lounge to be built at the Town of Wawarsing Airport, and the different benefits the building will reportedly bring. Look for more coverage in next week's issue of the Journal.

In Other News�
The town council approved the appointment of Georgine Matichuck and John Constable as the regular and alternate members, respectively, for the Ulster County Planning Board from the Town of Wawarsing for the period of January to December, 2008. The town's planning board members must be appointed every year.

The board approved improvements to the Transfer Station, CTM Project in the amount of $4,800. The change order is for additional work done by Mombaccus Excavating of Kerhonkson, NY to make a cleaner tie-in to the existing pavement.

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