Vol. XIV No. 3 Fall 2020
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The Newsletter of Franklin Local Vol. XIV, No. 3 Franklin, New York FALL 2020 ‘INDEPENDENT, FEARLESS AND FREE’ and others. I asked: what is DFA?. It is Dairy Farmers of FRANKLIN FM PLANS America, a dairy coopera- tive. [1] ELECTION DAY IS WINTER MARKETS! This was an anti-trust TUESDAY case (Allen, et al v. DFA, et NOVEMBER 3RD. al) with the plaintiffs hav- ing class action certifica- tion against Dean Foods, DFA, and Dairy Marketing DONT Services, LLC (DMS). Dean Foods settled early in the FORGET case for $30 million. DFA and DMS settled for $50 TO million in June of 2016, with The 2020 socially-distanced farmers’ market the court’s approval. [2] VOTE! SILVER LININGS the market was the oppor- DFA is the largest dairy . tunity for folks wearied by MR. SITTS cooperative in the United By Trish Tyrell weeks of isolation to dis- States, with over 14,000 cover a sense of normalcy GOES TO dairy producers. With that TENTATIVE Despite the sprawling in a strange new world, and $50 million agreement, stormfest that is 2020, there to be reassured that this too COURT there would be no admis- TOWN TAXES have been some silver lin- shall pass. Or, at least be- sion of wrongdoing from ings. One is a remarkably come less strange. By Jan Mulroy DFA. And so, the story 2021 successful and sunny four- Veteran vendors Hank continues. teenth season at the Frank- Stahler of Fokish Bread and On October 17, 2017, I Both Garret Sitts and his By Brian Brock lin Farmers’ Market. Bruce Zimmer of Cord- attended the Candidates father, Ralph Sitts, resigned Even with the ever- wood Acres marked their Forum for Franklin Town as Class Representatives, The tentative 2021 bud- present anxiety and con- See FFM, con’t on Page 9 Council candidates. At “opting out” of the case. get for the Town of Franklin cern around COVID-19, the one point, Garret Sitts men- They did not take settle- would spend $1.80 million. market saw record-break- tioned winning $80 million ment awards or Class Rep- To partially finance this, the ing growth, and vendors in a settlement against DFA See SITTS, con’t on Page 19 town board plans to raise experienced their most $1.23 million in property profitable year ever. It is taxes from landowners, an as if COVID led to a great- OFFICE increase of $ 0.017 million er appreciation for food (1.38%) over the 2020 bud- grown and processed by EFFORTS get. This increase in the local folks whom you know PART I: Not Here nor There levy would be just under and trust. the state-imposed soft cap, Remember the meat By Brian Brock same as last year. shortage? The bare Still the town offices Salaries of all town of- shelves when you shopped INSIDE The Town of Frank- Museum and the Franklin ficials (personal salary, PS) for basic groceries? Or THIS ISSUE... lin could use more office Farmhouse Community would the same: Superin- people sharing informa- space, and our town board Center, which are the core tendent of Highways Laing tion about where to get REGULAR FEATURES: has tried for three years to of its mission. $47,700, Assessor Basile this or that? Well, it turns Mayor’s Corner Pg. 3 build some. Over the years, the $27,750, Clerk/collector/ out that in the COVID era, Kitchen Basics Pg. 4 Inside Local Realty Pg. 6 The issue that sparked building fell into disrepair. registrar Johns $16,600, Su- farmers’ markets are one Pipeline Update Pg. 9 this search for office space The general impression pervisor Taggart $15,900, of the wheres. Blessed with lay in the lease from 2000 Green Banks Garden Pg.11 was that the Rich Founda- Code Enforcement Officer open-air, social distancing Real Estate Sales Pg.20 that gave the town half of tion would prefer that the Jacobs $15,000, Finance signage, a rope perimeter the Rich tenant house to use building be abandoned Director Warner $12,750, and a giant bottle of liquid LOCAL ISSUES: for 50 years. With rent of and demolished, thus in- Justice Arndt $6,500, Dog hand-sanitizer, the market Sidney Center Signs Pg. 2 only one dollar per year, all creasing the visibility of Control Officer Constable environment offers a com- Sidney Center Park Pg. 2 costs for maintenance had the museum behind it. But $1,800, and councilmen fortable and safe shopping On-line Scams Pg. 5 to come out of the budget the foundation has no such Bruno, Grant, Sitts, and experience for masked and Avoiding Ads On line Pg. 5 of the Walter Rich Charita- plans, according to its pres- Smith $1,200 each. (Tag- sometimes gloved patrons. Pipe Sale Pg. 8 ble Foundation. Any mon- ident, John Campbell. gart’s salary is $3,800 One of the few tradition- The Village Bountiful Pg.10 R.R. Museum Barn Pg.17 ey spent on this building In October 2017, at the (24%) from the town and al community events to sur- took away from continuing request of the town board, See TAXES, con’t on Page 16 vive during the pandemic, improvements to the Frank- Delaware Engineering THE PANDEMIC: lin Railway & Community Maywood Update Pg. 2 See OFFICE, con’t on Page 18 School News Pg. 3 Pandemic Scenes Pg. 7 FCEF Update Pg.15 Pandemic Update Pg.17 LOCAL ARTS: Franklin Stage Grant Pg. 3 Book Reviews Pg.12 Poetry Shelf Pg.12 Upstate Arts Pg.13 Catskill Cats Pg.14 What famous lost, local landmark is this? See Page 2 NFR Seeing Things Pg.14 Page 2 The New Franklin Register Fall 2020 tric and heating costs. The trustees voted to use our The View from Sidney Center... back-up emergency fund, built up from profits over WELCOME TO SIDNEY CENTER! the years, to pay these bills for 2020. Since announc- By Michael Sellitti ing the closing, the Group has received several unso- If you’ve driven through the hamlet of Sidney Cen- licited donations which are ter recently, you may have noticed our beautiful new en- greatly appreciated. trance signs. Funded and installed by the Sidney Cen- But life goes on and ter Improvement Group (SCIG), the signs are works of certain things must still be art created to welcome folks to Sidney Center by paying done. The Group thanks homage to the area’s long history with the railroad. members Bob King and Sidney Center was once known to have the longest, Lynn Roof for keeping the tallest railroad trestle in the world. Shaped like a horse- grounds mowed and the shoe, it towered one hundred feet over the hamlet. Sid- trimming done despite the ney Center is also home to the historic Maywood Depot MAYWOOD The Maywood Depot summer closure. With the Museum and Community Space – a beautifully restored ners, or parties during the help of Larry Mott, they and maintained building that was once a stop on the O&W IN THE summer months. The deci- also painted the outside of Railway system. The sion was based on being the Depot. Great job, guys! building and prop- PANDEMIC unable to set up for social It really looks nice. erty are currently distancing or make sure The Group has heard owned and oper- By Darryl Loker that everyone would be from several people how ated by a non-profit, safe. much they missed the gath- The Maywood His- The Maywood Histori- Closing the Depot for erings and the music at the torical Group of Sid- cal Group of Sidney Cen- the year meant that there Ice Cream Socials this past ney Center, Inc. ter, Inc., made the decision would be no income from summer. The Maywood SCIG enlisted last spring not to open the the ice cream socials that Historical Group looks for- the help of a local Maywood Depot for 2020. we have relied on for over ward to 2021 and hopefully artist for the de- This meant there would be twenty-five years. This in- getting back to some kind sign and creation of no Ice Cream Socials, fam- come always paid the elec- of normality. the signs. Ty Stein- ily gatherings, potluck din- bacher of Walton – whose family has SIDNEY CENTER PARK NEWS ties to Sidney Cen- By Michael Sellitti ter for generations Ty Steinbacker’s signs welcome visitors - hand-painted the This year has certainly presented many chal- nostalgic scene of a steam locomotive passing over the lenges for everyone, including community organi- trestle. SCIG hopes the signs will bring new attention zations like the Sidney Center Improvement Group and patronage to the Maywood Depot and reinforce the [SCIG]. When the pandemic hit, the all-volunteer group’s mission of moving forward, while not forgetting members of SCIG quickly transitioned to meetings our past. On your next drive to view the fall foliage, take held on Zoom with a commitment to keep moving a ride through the hamlet and see the signs for yourself! the efforts of the group forward for the community. SCIG has had to put on hold many of the park You can follow the Sidney Center Improvement Group enhancements planned for this summer. However, on Facebook at www.facebook/scigny or the Maywood some progress has been made, with larger improve- Depot by searching “Maywood Historical O&W” on ments to continue next spring. Facebook. New park benches To date SCIG has completed the following initia- tives: planted a dozen flowering and bank-stabiliz- ing trees, gave the swing set a new colorful paint job, repaved the bas- ketball court and installed new posts and backboards, took delivery of a new park announcement board, and had new picnic tables and benches designed and constructed by Sidney High School Students.