I just want to meet her dentist. What a smile!
Ellenville million
In Ellenville, everybody’s talking about “The Ellenville Million.” The question isn’t whether it’s enough — it’s only seed money — but where is it coming from and when?
Right now, the answer is that it looks like state money, via the county government. The million, and it might be more, as announced by County Executive Mike Hein in his state-of-the-county address in January, comes as consolation prize from the state after the regional casino was sited in neighboring Sullivan County and not at the nearby Nevele.
As casino revenues will only be realized from taxes paid by operating casinos, probably years away, look for Hein to advance funding for the Ellenville Million from the county’s coffers and then to dun the state for reimbursement.
Meanwhile, a Hein-appointed Ellenville Million committee has been busily gathering information and suggestions from residents. Committee Chair Julie Cohen Lonstein reports much enthusiasm and hope over the latest plans to revive the long-dormant Nevele. Some find putting all the eggs in the Nevele basket foolish. Others say that it remains the community’s best hope. Information is available at [email protected].
You can call me Al
News that New Paltz college don Gerry Benjamin fell a few votes short of being named a state regent on Monday comes as no great surprise. The eminently qualified former college professor had the right stuff, but alas, elections are about politics and this Republican didn’t have enough Democratic votes in the state legislature which appoints regents. A vigorous 69, he could get one more chance.
Assemblyman Cahill, Benjamin’s sponsor and former county legislature colleague, may have oversold his nominee by comparing him to the first state regent, fellow by the name of Alexander Hamilton.
“Yes, Hamilton,” Cahill insisted via phone from Albany. “Hamilton brought unique qualities to the regents [he was a founder], as would have Gerry Benjamin.”
Benjamin is a class act, all right, but a Hamilton? All I can say to the old professor is stay away from gunfights.
And finally …
Condolences to the family of former mayoral secretary June Diamond, who died at 85 last week. June served three Democratic mayors, Ray Garraghan, Frank Koenig and Don Quick, for a total of 18 years.
She was friendly, personable and efficient and she knew half the people in Kingston.
And if she occasionally sold campaign dinner tickets from her desk at City Hall or passed out bumper stickers, well, those were the days. She spared her boss most of the annoying phone calls about potholes, barking dogs and garbage pickup, but was never the mayor’s spokesperson, as in “the mayor is too busy running the city” (to respond to media inquiries), as sometimes happens these days.
