The columnist Reynolds.
The state estimated it would take at least $30 million to completely rehab the 90-year-old Wurts Street Bridge between Kingston and Port Ewen. Paving and superstructure work has been completed and the roadway paved, but much remains to be done.
The Irish Cultural Center, with its full-throated Irish assemblyman in the forefront, has a commitment of some $2 million in state funding, but it’s a $6 million project. Organizers have been busily raising money toward an early-March groundbreaking on Abeel Street, hard by the Rondout Creek. The progress on that effort could well determine state largess. New Paltz will be looking for help with its new town hall and so on.
Republican state Sen. George Amedore will chase similar funding in the upper house, in step with John Bonacic, Bill Larkin and Jim Seward.
County committees
Former county legislature chairman Dan Alfonso liked to say that the work of the legislature is done in committee, so in that sense, the committee assignments handed out by newly-minted legislature Chairman Ken Ronk last week bear scrutiny.
For the most part, most of the familiar faces are back on familiar committees, but there was one new committee with an old face that will be worth watching. The reconstituted Government Efficiency and Review Committee, with the ever-mischievous former chairman John Parete at its helm, will sniff and dig into government affairs and practices, with a particular emphasis, I suspect, on the executive.
For added clout, the new committee will have oversight of the county comptroller’s office, another hotbed of intrigue with watchdog responsibilities over government in general. And the comptroller has subpoena power.
Chairman Parete will be joined by fellow inquisitors Manna Jo Greene, Carl Belfiglio and son Richard. Low-key Pete Loughran, once a tiger but now much the pussycat, will assuage bombast.
I expect much smoke and noise from this committee. Substance would be a bonus.
