Winter 2006-2007
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The quarterly newsletter about the environment and people of the Upper Delaware River Volume 19 Number 4 Published by the Upper Delaware Council, Inc. Winter 2006-2007 In This Issue... Upper Delaware Bridges Report Pages 1 and 4 Upper Delaware Profile: Mark House, Town of Deerpark Page 2 Power Line Fight Goes Federal Page 3 ONE UP, ONE DOWN: In this photo taken on Nov 30, one-third ofthe 1941 Barryviiie-Shohoia Senator Supports River Towns & Bridge had been demolished after the new crossing, depicted on the ieft, was opened to traf Scenic Byway Visitor Center fic. Construction of the approximately $9.5 million bridge is expected to be flnaiized by June Page 4 2007. A banner hung on the side of the oid steel truss bridge as it was being razed read, "Goodbye Old Giri ... Thanks for the Ride." (UDC Photo by Laurie Ramie) Before the Next Flood Page 5 Quarterty Activities Highlighted; Upper Delaware Bridges: Hawk's Nest Book Available Page 6 Up, Down, and Stymied In Memoriam: Lew Schmalzle; Violations Leveled in Derailment As construction of the new Barryville, NY- the Pennsylvania side, has been a source Page 7 Shohola, PA Bridge approaches its three- of contention bettween those who advocate year mark toward completion and the for its preservation as a state and national Upper Delaware Eagles Thriving flood-damaged Kellams, NY-Stalker, PA ly-listed historic structure and those who Page 8 Bridge experienced an eariier reopening agree with engineering reports that recom than anticipated, the situation with the mend replacement for safety and longevity. 1 Upper Delaware River's beleagured Pond Of immediate concern is the replacement The Upper Delaware I Eddy crossing took a turn for the worse. of 14 defective stringer beams, which welcomes submissions and The Pennsylvania Department of Trans began on Dec. 11 and was expected to new subscribers (free)! ' portation (PENNDOT) called a public proceed at a rate of about 1 or 2 per day, Send items to Newsletter. meeting on Nov. 8 to announce that an in- weather permitting. Editor Laurie Ramie at the • Upper Delaware Council,! depth, independent inspection of the Pond "There are 250 beams in total and we're 211 Bridge St., PO. Box 192, • Eddy NY-Pond Eddy PA Bridge revealed replacing the absolute worse ones, but this Narrowsburg, N.Y. 12764.' extensive deterioration requiring emer will only get the bridge back to seven tons. Piease update our mailing I list by fiiling out the coupon | gency repairs and a down-posting in the The legal load for modern bridges is 40 |On Page 7. Thank you. j load capacity from eight tons to four tons. tons," said PennDOT District 4-0 Assistant The 1904 bridge, which provides the only Executive for Design Robert Doble. link from State Route 97 in the Town of The anticipated cost of the repairs by Lumberiand to approximately 26 homes on Please see BRIDGES on Page 4 Most land along the Upper Delaware River is privately owned. Please be considerate and don't litter or trespass. Thanks! Upper Delaware Profile: Mark D. House Upper Delaware Council, Inc. For a guy who had never held any politi P.O. Box 192, 211 Bridge St. cal office before being elected to supervise a growing Orange County, NY town that Narrowsburg, NY 12764-0192 WE TRU, turned out to require strong leadership Telephone: (845) 252-3022 through multiple flooding crises and gov FAX: (845) 252-3359 ernmental scandals, Mark D. House is sur prisingly unjaded and enthusiastic. The Upper Delaware is a free quarterly The Town of Deerpark supervisor took publication of the Upper Delaware office in January of 2003. He had initially Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organiza declined the local Democratic party's invi tion comprised of member governments tation to run following former Supervisor from New York and Pennsylvania directly Jim Chandler's retirement, but now finds 0 affected by the River Management Plan himself fulfilling his second, two-year term. for the Upper Delaware Scenic and "I basically had no political experience Recreational River whatsoever, but I ran a business, under stood what a budget is, and ran against my 2007 Officers opponent's record," House says. Chairperson F. Gerald Mackiri Vice-Chairperson John S. McKay "1 believe everyone should have the Mark House, Town of Deerpark, NY chance to serve in some capacity," the 45- Secretary/Treasurer John B. Niflot year-old Monroe, NY native adds. backville suffered damage as well, though House typically spends 40-60 hours per road washouts and town responsibilities New York Town Representatives week administering the town's daily affairs, kept him away for days on end. Hancock F. Gerald Mackin attending or preparing for meetings, han Of the fioods. House refiects, "It's been Fremont John B. Niflot Jim Rodgers, Alternate dling paperwork, and overseeing the a crash course in disappointment. We'll Delaware Harold G. Roeder, Jr town's approximately 50 employees. never get back to where we were. And Eric J. Nystrom, Alternate there will be another fiood; there are his "The difficulty is that this is not supposed Cochecton Larry H. Richardson to be a 9-5 position, but it becomes that, torical precedents for it. All we can do is be John A. Reggero, Alternate plus. The time demands are pretty incredi as prepared as possible," he says. Tusten Charles Wieland ble. I haven't had a vacation in four years," House has lived in Oakland Valley since Ben Johnson, Alternate he admits. 1988 with his wife of 22 years, Pamela, Highland Vacanti "We have had some trying times who is a teacher in Middletown. The couple Stephen Barnes, IstAlternate bettween the fioods and the investigations. has ttwo sons, Randall, 20, a junior at St. Robert Burrow, 2nd Alternate But I've met some incredible people doing Rose College in Albany studying music Lumberiand Nadia Rajszj this job. It's educated me on things that 1 education, and Logan, 7, a second grader John LiGreci, Alternate never looked into or understood before. It's at Hamilton Bicentennial School. Deerpark Philip D. Chase been a lot of fun and heartbreak. I wouldn't The Monroe-Woodbury High School and Melvin Decker, Alternate trade it for anything," House says. Orange County Community College gradu Pennsyivania Township Representatives The heartbreaks resulted from the dev ate obtained a Bachelor's degree in Lackawaxen John S. McKayj astation wrought by three major flood Spanish, with a minor in International Brian Stuart, Alternate] events which impacted the Delaware and Business, from Pace University in 1981. Shohola Nelia Walt George J. Fluhr, Alternate Neversink Rivers in September 2004, April After working in retail and sales. House Westfall Alan Bowers 2005 and June 2006. was in the insurance industry for over 15 George R. Jerus, Alternate "When the first fiood hit, we were over years, including ownership of the Robert State & Regional Members whelmed in terms of who and how to ask Collins Agency in Pine Bush. He sold his New York William J. Rudge, DEC for help. We kind of got through it and interest with intentions of staying home full- Pennsylvania Dennis DeMara, DCNR learned vety quickly. Fortunately, I had time to raise Logan - until the opportunity Del. River Basin Commission Carol Colliei well-trained people around me bettween arose six months later to run for supervisor. Partner Emergency Management, Fire, and Police. House is a member of the Port Jervis- National Park Service Chrysandra Walter But you can't just read it from a manual Deerpark Rotary Club, the Tri-State Rod & David C. Forney UDS& RR, Alternate and do it. What you're left with is a basic Gun Club, and previously served on the command structure. You literally have to be Neversink Valley Area Museum's board. Staff like the pitching coach at batting practice. The trained gunsmith enjoys hunting, fish Executive Director William E. Douglass You must accept that there will be issues ing, rafting, guitar playing, model railroad udcdouqlass(5)hvc.rr.coff you could not anticipate and put trust in ing, and is restoring the second of two 20- Senior Resource Specialist David B. Soete others," he says. year-old BMWs he bought on eBay. udcsoete(S)hvc.rrcon- Public Relations/Newsletter Laurie Ramie The Town of Deerpark estimated over While House hasn't decided whether he udcramietajhvc.rr.con' $24 million in damages from the April '05 will seek a third term as Deerpark's super Office Manager. Carol Coney flood alone. House led Governor George visor in 2007, he also isn't ruling out high udcconeytSjhvc.rr.con' Pataki on a tour of the essentially wiped- er political aspirations in his future. out Myers Grove community at that time "1 always thought that we have an oblig Printing Services: Courier Printing Corp., 24 and continues to handle reams of emer ation, living in this society, to tty to do Laurel Bank Ave., Deposit, New York 13754 gency funding documentation requests. something to leave things better. The Printed in the USA on recycled paper. House's own property located along 300 reward is in trying and doing your best. Copyright 2007, Upper Delaware Council feet of the Neversink River near Cudde- Because of that, we grow," he says.*:* Winter 2006-2007 The Upper Delaware Power Line Fight Goes Federal While opposition groups in eight New York State counties continue to rally on the local and state level against New York Regional Interconnect, Inc.'s (NYRI) pro posal to construct a $1.62 billion, 190-mile High Voltage Direct Current electric trans mission line from Marcy to Rock Tavern, many have set their sights on Washington, D C.