By Trish Adams
Angst was the feeling most widely expressed by Delaware County supervisors who serve on the committees dedicated to finance and have the decided headache of drawing up next year’s budget.

By Brian Sweeney
Incumbent Carl Becker has officially retained his position as Delaware County Judge, following the tabulation of absentee and affidavit ballots.

Official totals provided by the Delaware County Board of Elections on Monday showed Mr. Becker, a Stamford resident, winning, 9,139-8,949, a margin of 190 votes over challenge Gary Rosa of New Kingston

The incumbent Republican led by 175 votes on Election Night, but more than 1,400 absentee ballots and 200-plus affidavit ballots remained to be counted last week.

By Jay Braman Jr.
On Monday it looked like there would be skiing at Belleayre Mountain this weekend. In a press release issued last Friday, Belleayre management said that cold weather had kick started their snowmaking operation and that they expected to open for the season on Saturday, Nov. 24.
But alas, it’s not going to happen.

At press time Tuesday, Belleayre’s General Manager Tom Tar told the Catskill Mountain News that they had just made the decision to throw in the towel on opening this weekend. “It doesn’t look good. We’re definitely not going to open,” he said.

By Geoff Samuels

By Mike DiBenedetto
I’d like to pass on thanks from all the people who got warm blankets, food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and all the other supplies that were brought down to Coney island and Staten Island on our trips Nov. 10 and November 19.

By Trish Adams
At its November 14 meeting, the Delaware County Board of Supervisors presented its tentative 2013 budget, passed an override of the state mandated two percent cap on tax increases, and gave 16 employees each a $1,000 per annum salary increase. 

Staff report
The new well for the Arkville Water District will be into service this week, Middletown officials have announced.

Activation of the well will mark the completion of the majority of the water system upgrade that was begun in August 2011.

The project includes installation of new water mains from Frank Street to the Delaware & Ulster Railroad, installation of a new primary well on the grounds behind the railroad, the elimination of several “dead ends” in the system to improve water flow and the purchase and installation of new water meters.

By Jay Braman Jr.
Belleayre Ski Center is officially under new management this week, and the man in charge of the facility spoke before the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce membership week in Kingston to assure those listening that Belleayre will cooperate with the privately owned ski centers in the Catskills.

Until last Thursday Belleayre had been under the control of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. But in the spring, Governor Cuomo called for the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) to take over operation of the ski center.

By Geoff Samuels
Town of Middletown taxpayers will face a two-and-a-half percent property tax increase when they receive their 2013 town and county tax bills in January.

At the November 13 meeting of the Middletown Town Board, the 2013 preliminary budget, as put forth at the November 7 public hearing, was unanimously adopted. Through a $53,450 savings in health insurance, a $10,000 decrease in interest payments on the Arkville Water District bond, and a $10,000 cut in the highway department’s machinery and equipment expenditures, a property tax increase of 2.5 percent was set.

Staff Report
The owner of an Arkville trailer park is being fined $250 a day, retroactive to September 10, for failing to adequately upgrade its on-site sewage collection system.

According to town officials, the problems at Carlson’s Trailer Park have resulted in spills of raw sewage that have leeched directly into the East Branch of the Delaware River.