Vol. 36, No. 51 3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 3 ONE DOLLAR PB girls Last roll minute Page 32 gifts WWW .W ALLKILL V ALLEY T IMES . NE T Medline scoping Gift of the magi session Larkin delivers one final gift to Walden Proposed warehouse facility prompts concerns from Montgomery residents By LAURA FITZGERALD [email protected] The public expressed numerous concerns about a proposed 1.3-million- square-foot Medline facility in the Town of Montgomery at a public scoping session on Dec. 12. The planning board issued a positive declaration for the project, finding that the project may have a potentially significant adverse environmental impact and that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) must be prepared. The purpose of the Dec. 12 scoping session was to consider public and agency comments on the potential significant adverse environmental impacts which must be evaluated in the DEIS. State Senator Bill Larkin greets carolers from the Fox Hill Community last Thursday in Walden. He was there to deliver a $300,000 state Concerns brought up at the crowded meeting include impacts on traffic, the grant to be used towards the construction of a new community center at Olley Park. Wallkill River, visual impact, Medline’s request for tax abatements and impacts The carolers from the Fox Hill Senator Bill Larkin, bearing one think it’s fitting that he saved the best on the overall quality of life in the town Community were ready for their special oversized check. for last.” of Montgomery. guest last Thursday at the Walden The senator, about to end a four- The check will cover about half Several residents questioned the need Municipal Building. And when the decade career of public service had one the cost of building a multi-purpose for tax abatements for a company that elevator door opened on the third floor, final gift for the village of Walden. It community center at Olley Park, has made $10.2 billion in overall sales. they burst into a rousing chorus of “Joy was a check for $300,000. It will be used overlooking the Walden Community “Are the taxpayers going to be left to the World.” to help build a community center in the beach. Village Manager John Revella carrying all the municipal costs on their The special guest didn’t have a long village. said the collage will finance the backs when these companies should be white beard or a red coat, and the gift he “Senator Larkin has been a dear remainder and begin construction in bore was not one of gold, frankincense friend of this village for many, many Continued on page 5 or myrrh. It was the soon-to-be-retired years,” said Mayor Susan Rumbold. “I Continued on page 2 SERVING CRAWFORD, GARDINER, MAYBROOK, MONTGOMERY, PINE BUSH, SHAWANGUNK, WALDEN AND WALLKILL 2 Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 IN THIS ISSUE Calendar ................ 12 Classifieds ............... 22 Crossword ............... 24 Montgomery kids spread joy Dining Guide .............. 13 Letters to the Editor ........ 9 By LAURA FITZGERALD Maybrook ................ 19 [email protected] Montgomery ...............17 Obituaries ............... 10 omplete with Santa hats and sleigh Opinion .................. 8 bells, Montgomery Elementary Pine Bush ................ 19 School (MES) kindergarten students School News .............. 20 C erupted into a rousing rendition of “Feliz Service Directory .......... 28 Sports .................. 32 Navidad” for a crowd of smiling parents Walden .................. 18 and residents at the corner of Union and Wallkill .................. 16 Clinton Street in Montgomery. The entire kindergarten grade— PUBLIC AGENDA approximately 80 students—caroled around the village of Montgomery last WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19 Friday to spread some holiday cheer. Village of Walden Planning Board, 7:30 The students sang holidays classics p.m. Village Hall, 1 Municipal Square. such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Town of Crawford Planning Board, 7 p.m. Reindeer,” “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish Town Hall, 121 Route 302, Pine Bush. You a Merry Christmas.” THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20 They started their outing at the village Montgomery Town Board Audit/Work of Montgomery police station before Session, 7 p.m. Town Government Center, caroling outside various businesses 110 Bracken Road, Montgomery. and landmarks in the village, such as Crawford Town Board, 7 p.m. Town Hall, 121 Wildfire Café, village hall and the corner Route 302, Pine Bush. of Clinton and Union Street. Shawangunk Town Board, 7 p.m. Town While the grade has sung at the Hall, 14 Central Ave., Wallkill. nursing home for Valentine’s Day, this was the first time they have caroled in MES kindergarten students carol at the corner of Union and Clinton Streets in the village the village for the holidays. of Montgomery. HOLIDAY DEADLINE MES principal Matthew Canino said The office of the Wallkill Valley Times the event engages the students with the The village of Montgomery police supportive community and to be in a will be closed on December 24 and 25 in village. department escorted the students as village where the students are able to observance of Christmas. Deadline for “We try to do lots of activities to they walked through the village. MES walk into town. the December 26 edition is Thursday, engage with the local community,” kindergarten teacher Julie Ardito “[Caroling] is just to bring joy to the December 20 at 5 p.m. Canino said. said the school is fortunate to have a community,” Ardito said. HOW TO REACH US OFFICE: 300 Stony Brook Court Newburgh, NY 12550 Larkin delivers one final gift to Walden PHONE: 845-561-0170, FAX: 845-561-3967 Continued from page 1 Emails may be directed to the following : ADVERTISING 2019. [email protected] The building, designed to seat 300 people, will serve as a bad-weather shelter CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS [email protected] and cooling center for campers in the Walden summer recreation program and TO REACH THE EDITOR a daily gathering place for the Walden [email protected] Senior Citizens. It will also be available FOR THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT for other community organizations when [email protected] needed. Larkin, who took the time to greet PUBLIC NOTICES each of the young singers from the Fox [email protected] Hill Community, delivered the check from WEBSITE the State Senate’s Member Items fund. www.timescommunitypapers.com It may well be his final check, as he The Wallkill Valley Times, (USPS 699-490) is a weekly will retire from public service on New newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh, Year’s Eve and will be replaced by James NY 12550, with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court, Skoufis, who was elected last month to Newburgh, NY. Single copy: $1 at newsstand. By mail replace him. in Orange, Ulster or Sullivan Counties: $40 annually, $44 out of county. Periodicals permit at Newburgh, NY. “I have 9 or 10 days left,” Larkin said POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wallkill Valley last week. “I want you to know I will be State Senator Bill Larkin poses with assorted Walden officials and Town of Montgomery Times, 300 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY 12550. working on the 31st.” Supervisor Ron Winchell after delivering a $300,000 check to the village. Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, December 19, 2018 3 Valley Central Board to meet with architect By TED REMSNYDER Jan. 10 so the council could study the year. But if we’re going to do something taxpayer vote on a potential referendum. differing options before the Jan. 22 public this year we have to start the process. “Before we have this big, long discussion The Valley Central Board of Education meeting. “I think we’d like to have item So we’ll give them the information and in January, just double-check the time could have some key decisions to make costs and the buffet type of idea where the board would like to see it bundled in frame, because if us discussing this in in the coming months about the potential we can say this will work or this will not different ways. The other thing we didn’t January there’s no time for us to put this approval of a public referendum for work so we can go through it and pare it share that night (Nov. 13), because we on in May,” he said. “I don’t think there’s school infrastructure upgrades, and the down to size,” Wesenberg said during the didn’t have them, are the costs for the enough time to consider May.” Xanthis process will enter a new phase early next meeting. taxpayer. We’ll know what it costs for the replied that the district might not want year when the council examines possible The administration is hopeful a decision $12 million or $15 million (packages), up to put the referendum up for a vote in referendum packages. During last can be made in short order on whether to to $25 million.” May and that the potential vote could be month’s board meeting, representatives proceed with a public referendum vote The contours of a basic infrastructure pushed forward into next summer. The from the CSArch architectural firm laid next year, or see if the improvements to project could include pressing renovations board is hoping to receive granular detail out four different referendum options for the entrance of the High School-Middle to the high school parking complex, as on the specifics of the proposals before the board to weigh that ranged from $7.8 School complex will be further delayed. well as a new pool dehumidification unit they consider them. “As far as the detail million up to $21.9 million in spending. “What I’m trying to accomplish is that at the school and a new concession stand goes, I think we have to have the items During last Monday’s board session, we talked about this last spring and we by the football field.