SK Rams Are DL Baseball Champs
Fleischmanns Memorial Weekend Street Fair
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Del. County BOS Appoints Public Defender By Alyshia Korba DELHI - The Delaware County Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting on May 22 was headlined by the appointment of Joseph A. Ermeti as Delaware County Public Defender. Ermeti is the founder of The Law Office of Joseph A. Ermeti in Sydney. The public defender’s office was established by the BOS on March 13. Prior to this, the county relied on private attorneys for indigent defense. Ermeti will take office starting Aug. 1 with an annual salary of $105,000. His term will end on Dec. 31, 2020. During the meeting, the board also discussed the Delaware County Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Program Transportation which is a program to help children with disabilities meet their developmental goals. This topic was presented by Director of Public Health Services Amanda Walsh. The resolution, which was approved, will authorize the county department of public health services to make awards to the lowest bidders for transportation costs. Walsh said that this is im-
portant because there are many expenses associated with the program. According to Walsh, an average of 25-30 kids are transported every day. The program provides transportation to locations across multiple counties. “That’s why I say it’s a very expensive program because they (the children) have specialized seats, there’s specialized training that all those drivers have to have, the vehicles have to meet certain standards and there’s also a distance issue,” Walsh said. “We have standards for how they’re transported.” Hamden Town Supervisor Wayne Marshfield introduced another issue to the BOS regarding the potential legalization of marijuana in New York. Marshfield said that he believes that the state will soon legalize marijuana. “I think we need to address that. I think we need to have a resolution opposing it before it becomes too late,” Marshfield said. Board chair Tina Molé said that the issue of legalizing marijuana will be on the agenda of the next meeting on June 26.
Walton Central School 2019-20 Budget Passes Incumbents and New BOE Member Elected
By Lillian Browne WALTON - With a vote of 361 to 170 the Walton Central School District approved a two percent increase in taxes to cover a $21,745,814 budget for the 201920 school year. The budget reflects a 4.22 percent increase in spending over last year. Incumbent board of education members Kevin Charles and Marilynn Lewis were both reelected to a second, three-year term with 447 and 388 votes respectively. They are joined by newcomer Mirranda MacDonald who captured the third seat that was up for election with 237 votes. Propositions to establish an $8 million capital project fund; to lease three new school buses at a cost of $56,100 per year for five years to and increase the Ogden Free Library’s budget by $1,831
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to a total of $123,916, were also approved by voters. In other school districts: Andes Central School budget passed 75 to 23; Dale Tait secured a seat on the board of education, with 84 votes; Alice DeVita received 75 votes. Franklin Central School budget passed 83 to 22 and Patricia Taggart captured the open seat on the board of education with 96 votes. School bus purchase/lease propositions in both districts passed. Sidney Central School budget passed with a vote of 217 to 29. Kerri Green retained her seat with 198 votes. Corbin Curley was elected to the other seat as a write-in candidate with 61 votes. South Kortright Central School voters passed their budget with a vote of 125 to 44. Voters also approved the purchase of two school buses by a margin of 145 to 24 and to establish and fund a repair fund with a balance not to exceed $250,000 - to be funded with unappropriated fund balances in future years. Terri Chichester was re-elected to a five-year term on the board of education with 145 votes. Delaware Academy at Delhi budget passed by a vote of 365 to 71; the bus lease was approved by a vote of 367 to 66; and Lucy Kelly was elected to the board of education with 333 votes; Seth Haight with 310 votes and Sean Leddy with 291 votes. Roscoe Central School’s budget passed with a vote of
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Walton Memorial Day Parade
Lillian Browne/The Reporter
Donald ‘Doc’ O’Connell was the Walton Memorial Day Parade’s Grand Marshal. By Lillian Browne WALTON - The Walton community honored the memory of its military servicemen and women with a Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 27. The parade, led by Walton Central School Marching Band, wound from Delaware Street to Veterans’ Plaza where Retired National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Guard and Walton Supervisor Joe Cetta performed commander duties for the parade and ceremonies. At Veterans’ Plaza, Cetta delivered a com-
memoration telling parade-goers that more than one million military men and women have lost their lives in service to their country, since Colonial times. Parade participants paused briefly to toss lilac blooms into the West Branch of the Delaware River from the Bridge Street bridge, before continuing along the parade route. Following an invocation by Reverend Larry Light of New Hope Community Church, Marge Rutherford, a member of the American Legion See Walton Memorial Day Parade page 5
Margaretville Trustees Mull “Airbnb” Local Laws By Jesse Hilson At the May 21 meeting of the Margaretville Village Board of Trustees, Kent Brown of the Margaretville planning board made a presentation about “short term rental” services such as Airbnb. Brown talked about short term rentals, with an eye towards formulating a position in a local law before they became more prevalent which they are projected to do. There are some properties in the village that are being rented
regularly, Brown said, adding that the planning board didn’t want to prevent such businesses from existing since “there needs to be more hotels and motels in the area,” but that certain concerns needed to be addressed. Concerns Brown brought before the board were health and safety regulations, the proprietors’ bed tax responsibilities, and local contact people for rental properties since many proprietors are out of town. Brown presented several courses of action on the short
term rental situation, including creating a local law with a yearly application process including fire inspections, signage and smoke alarms. The last local law in Margaretville’s books touching on these rental issues was made in the 1980s, and since Airbnb is a new phenomenon, revised definitions were needed for such terms as “boarding house,” “tourist home,” “hotel, and “motel.” The local law would need to consider See Margaretville Mulls page 4
Walton Eighth Grader Recognized For Saving a Life By Rosie Cunningham DELHI - The community and the Delaware County Sheriff ’s Department will be honoring individuals in the community and within law enforcement who are courageous and selfless. Rachel Trimbell of Walton is the first official recipient of the Sheriff ’s Superstar Program. Trimbell saved a younger Walton
Central School student on the school bus who was choking on a piece of candy in late March. The 14 year old performed the Heimlich maneuver, a skill she learned through the Explorers Program. “I thought she needed to help,” Trimbell said. “Afterwards, I had a rush of adrenaline” She credited her experience with the Explorers program for having the tools to help first-
grader Danielle Miller, who had swallowed a Starburst candy. “The explorer program came to school for career day and I wanted to do it,” said Trimbell. According to Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond, the Sheriff ’s Superstar Program is community based and can nominate civilians. “I hear a lot of great things and See Walton 8th Grader page 2
See School Budgets page 3
Rosie Cunningham/The Reporter
Rachel Trimbell stands with her parents, Karena and Chad Trimbell, and Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond.