Middletown

By Pauline Liu
The final Middletown Town Board meeting of the year, held at town hall last Tuesday night, was one that attendees won’t soon forget. For one thing, the marathon meeting lasted four hours, something that town officials say is unheard of.

For another, it was Town Supervisor Len Utter’s last meeting, since he’ll be retiring at the end of the year. Utter felt the lengthy session was productive, especially since the board adopted an updated Comprehensive Plan.

By Pauline Liu
As the year draws to a close, Middletown will be ringing out of the final term of Town Supervisor Len Utter. After serving for six terms, totaling 12 years, he is preparing to retire on December 31. His departure marks the end of an era in Middletown leadership.

By Pauline Liu
Visitors and residents, who’ve long complained about the lack of cell phone service in the region, may be getting some relief in the months to come.

On Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. Margaretville businessman Peter Molnar will appear before the Middletown Zoning Board of Appeals to request a zoning variance for land that he owns off county Route 38 on the Arkville-Margaretville border. By all accounts, he appears to be taking initial steps to have a cell-phone tower installed on his property.

Halcottsville — The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown held its seventh annual meeting on October 23, when it recognized several volunteers, reported on its activities over the past year, and elected an executive committee to lead it into 2012.

Staff Report
Restoring some earlier cuts, the Middletown Town Board passed a 2012 budget last Wednesday that reflects a 1.9 percent increase in the tax levy.

Town officials reported this week that because of the omission of a bond interest expenditure from the final budget, the document will be reconsidered at a special meeting on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. at the town hall.

By Jennifer Kabat
This year there will be what amounts to an historic election in the Town of Middletown, not simply because of the recent flood, but also because of a wholesale shift in town government, with both the long-serving incumbent town clerk and supervisor retiring. For the first time in years there are four candidates, and none is running with a party affiliation.

By Pauline Liu
Even before the nor’easter struck the Catskills last Saturday, the subjects of snow removal and budget cuts have been heating up the Middletown highway superintendent’s race. The incumbent, John Biruk, is Democrat-Independent who will be facing off against Republican challenger Chris Stanton next Tuesday.

By Jennifer Kabat
A hundred and twenty-five people squeezed into the Arkville Firehouse on Monday evening to listen to the four Middletown supervisor candidates debate the issues.

The place was standing room only, with people sitting on the floor and Boy Scouts lined up near the kitchen. In the audience were two mayors, a deputy mayor, town and village board members and the Town of Hardenburgh supervisor.

The Town of Middletown Preliminary Budget for 2012 reflects a zero percent increase in the tax levy.
The Tentative Budget presented to the town board by Supervisor Len Utter showed an 8.9 percent increase in the amount to be raised by taxes. The board agreed to make cutbacks of 13.5 percent in contractual spending across every department and applied approximately $35,000 in unexpended balances to reduce the tax increase to zero.

The Preliminary Budget, not including Special Districts, totals $2,956,178. The amount to be raised by taxes is $2,410,055.

By Pauline Liu
Members of the Delaware County Clerks’ Association ended their final meeting of the year with an early retirement party for one of their own. Middletown Clerk Russell Schebesta has reached a milestone. He will be retiring, when his term runs out at the end of the year, wrapping up a distinguished career that has spanned 31 years. The celebratory luncheon took place at Hamden Town Hall last Thursday. Coincidentally, the association was founded 31 years ago. It began shortly after Schebesta first took office.