DA Girls Fall
WCS Christmas Craft Fair
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VOLUME 135 — WHOLE 71824
WWW.THE-REPORTER.NET
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019
$1.00
Hello There, Santa
Hearing Officer Recommends ‘Termination’ of Del Co DSS Commissioner By Lillian Browne DELHI – Forty-two days after the nine-day administrative hearing to determine whether cause existed for Delaware County’s Social Services Commissioner Dana Scuderi-Hunter to be suspended from her appointed, five-year contracted position, the county’s hand-picked hearing officer, Alfred Riccio, recommended that she be “terminated”, in a written decision issued Dec. 6. Scuderi-Hunter was suspended from her position, with pay, on July 9 via letter from Supervisor Chairwoman Tina Molé; and formally by a resolution of the board in August. Twenty-two pages of allegations, consisting of accusations of instances of misconduct, conduct unbecoming an employee, insubordination and disloyalty to employer, comprised seven charges against Scuderi-Hunter. Among the accusations that Riccio found to be substantiated included: that Scuderi-Hunter acted inappropriately toward her employees, Probation Director Scott Glueckert and County Attorney Amy Merklen; that she failed to cooperate with the probation department and the county attorney’s office when she had a differing opinion with them as it related to certain juvenile de-
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Delaware County Social Services Commissioner Dana ScuderiHunter linquents; that Scuderi-Hunter alienated the working relationships with representatives of the personnel office, probation department, county attorney’s office, public health office and department of mental health; that her actions amounted to disloyalty in that she failed to advise probation or the county attorney’s office of her position with regard to cases brought by the probation department and prosecuted by the county attorney’s office; that she behaved in an “utterly disloyal” manner by collaborating with a child’s attorney and that she so severely alienated the relationship between the county attorney’s office and the probation department that they could no longer effectively See Hearing Officer page 5
Delhi Village, Alive With Holiday Cheer For O’Connor Hospital Parade
Rosie Cunningham/The Reporter
Delhi Supervisor Mark Tuthill (left) was all smiles next to Delhi Village Mayor Richard Maxey as they enjoyed the Saturday festivities. By Rosie Cunningham
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Rosie Cunningham/The Reporter
Santa Claus and Annaliese Olsen of East Meredith talked about the holidays at O’Connor Hospital on Saturday. There was a long line of kids waiting to meet the man in red.
Walton’s West Street, Austin Lincoln Park Permit Snowmobile Access By Ron Galley WALTON - At a special meeting of Walton Village Trustees on Friday, Dec. 6 unanimous approval was given to snowmobilers to access specific village property, including Austin Lincoln Park and West Street in order to allow riders to re-fuel at Speedway. According to Earl Sines, director of Hamden Hill Ridge Riders snowmobile club, snowmobiles can now enter the village through the park, and have access to marked and designated snowmobile trails on private property located on St. John Street, St. John Extension, past the area known as Sheffield Estate, Burton and West Streets. Permission to park snowmobiles at Robinson Brothers Auction Barn, on West Street (private property), has also been granted by the property owner. The expansion of designated snowmobile trails has been in the works for several years. Mayor Steve Condon said
Ron Galley/The Reporter
Mark Pierce, Cherie Pierce and Earl Sines, representing the Hamden Hill Ridge Riders snowmobile club, shared a light moment with Walton Village board members during the Dec. 6 meeting. snowmobilers must adhere to vehicle and traffic laws and must travel on designated trails. Snowmobile club secretary Cherie Pierce said if snowmobilers break rules and fail to observe the law, they should be ticketed. Club members are expected to be respectful of private property and obey the law. When asked what the benefit
of snowmobiling is to Walton, Condon said it is a huge financial boon. Hamden Hill Ridge Riders have between 300 and 350 members. Earl Sines thanked trustees for their cooperation and for granting permission snowmobile along specific village properties. See Walton Village page 3
Senator Metzger Recognizes Sher-Brook Organic Dairy Farm With Empire Business Award
Joins In On The Delhi Village Holiday Festivities By Rosie Cunningham
DELHI – Delhi was festive and bustling on Saturday, Dec. 7 for the O’Connor Hospital 21st annual holiday parade. The parade kicked off at 11 a.m. on Main Street at the bottom of SUNY Delhi. Following the event, an open house took place at the hospital. Zoomobile from the Ross Park Zoo in Binghamton provided entertainment and attendees and children took pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. See Delhi Parade page 6
Contributed Photo
Sher-Brook Organic Farm was awarded the Empire Business Award by Senator Jen Metzger (right). Tim Sherwood and his wife Lauren and son, Henry (front) were presented with a plaque.
Sher-Brook Organic Farm in Delhi, owned by Tim and Lauren Sherwood, was awarded the Empire Business Award on Saturday, by Senator Jen Metzger. The Empire Business Award is given to exceptional businesses that go out of their way to give back to the community, and the ways of doing so can be anything from using innovative methods or product(s), forming partnerships within the community, creating entrepreneurial success, or a family-owned business that has passed from one generation to another. There are other criteria, as well, but in this case, SherBrook Organic Dairy checks several boxes, and Senator Metzger was very pleased to present the award to the Sherwoods. See Metzger Recognizes page 7