DEP Discussion
Town Supervisor Ed Jennings kicked off the meeting by providing an update regarding the flooded residents of Smith Road, who believe that the source of the regular massive floods is the cracked and leaking Delaware Aqueduct which runs underneath the township, and is administrated by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP). Many of the wells in the area have tested positive for the presence of e. coli and coliform bacteria. As such, residents whose wells were tested — totaling 29 homes, according to Ira Stern, DEP's Grahamsville Regional Manager — are eligible to receive bottled, potable water until the previously reported UV water filtration systems the DEP has committed to supplying are made available.

To that end, the board approved a resolution authorizing Supervisor Jennings, who is also a flooded resident of Smith Road, to send a letter to the DEP in Manhattan for $5,000 in funding to supply the water to residents at no cost or liability to the town for the period of three months. The letter also denies liability to the DEP, as tests and surveys are and have been underway to determine the role the leaking aqueduct is playing in the yearly flooding. The water will be supplied by Leisure Time Spring Water, Inc., based out of Kiamesha Lake.

Town Attorney Bill Collier also updated concerned residents that the paperwork and contracts concerning work on Smith Road's drainage is underway, but may not be completed for a month or two. Ira Stern assured residents, however, that Malcolm Pirnie, the consulting firm hired by the DEP to conduct preliminary studies and designs of the project, will begin shortly, before the contracts are finished so as to keep delays to a minimum.

The Sam Bugna Show
Sam Bugna appeared before the town board to give a brief presentation regarding the recently completed YMCA Youth Program. Overall, she spoke about the program's successes, and how happy many of the parents were. The program did go over budget on payroll by $15,000 because of the need for more counselors; the program was initially budgeted for 100 campers, but 193 were eventually enrolled. The extra $15,000 was absorbed by the YMCA organization, but Bugna did say that it would be easier if next year's program could be funded for 250 campers, both to ensure that no families were put on waiting lists, and also to ensure that there would be enough money to pay for more counselors as well. Bugna also brought two parents and a counselor with her, who in turn explained why and how they were happy with the program. Town Councilman Tom Geelan told Bugna, "You did a really good job. I'm really glad you took on the task — thank you." The presentation concluded with a round of applause.

Can You Hear Me Now?
The town board held three public hearings: the Telecommunications Facilities Regulations law, the Control and Restriction of Garage Sales law, and the Cross Connections for the Kerhonkson Water District law. The Telecommunications Facilities Regulations law, specifically, was prompted by the debate over a 280-foot cell phone tower that was proposed for Tice Road in Spring Glen, but, when asked, the town board said that neither the telecomm company, nor the tower-builders, had been in contact with the municipality regarding the proposed restriction of tower heights in the future. In short, there was little to no public participation or discussion during the hearings, prompting the town board to continue the first two of the three to October 2 and October 16, respectively. The third, regarding the Kerhonkson Water district, prompted the board to pass the law there and then, which stipulated that any property in the district which required a cross connector (which would be necessary to handle high water-volume, and would most likely be mainly for businesses, according to Town Attorney Bill Collier) would have one installed at the property owner's expense.

Odds and Ends
The board authorized the supervisor to execute an agreement with New York Communications Co., Inc. (NYCOMCO) of Poughkeepsie to lease or purchase two-way radio equipment for the Highway Department to improve their current communications system. The lease program would run for five years at a cost of $1,554 per month. The cost for purchasing the same equipment would be a monthly payment of $1,591.06 for a period of five years.

The board authorized the supervisor to execute a proposal in the amount of $3,650 from Underwater Solutions, Inc. of Maltapoisett, MA for reinspecting and cleaning of the Napanoch Water District water storage tank in the spring of 2009.

The board awarded the bids to KMA Construction, Inc. of Ellenville to proceed on the rehabilitation of three of the homes in the Town-Wide Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Project #1215HR116-06, per the recommendation of Administrator Mark Blauer and Inspector Brian Schug: Willie Bruce, 8 Lewis Lane, Ellenville, in the amount of $9,600; Mabel Garritt, 10 Lewis Lane, Ellenville, in the amount of $10,000; and William Freer, 2 Grace Street, Napanoch, in the amount of $24,500.

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