I find it very interesting that the auction company hired to auction off the Nevele Grande is the one writing the letter/article to the Shawangunk Journal. If the current/former owner of the Nevele isn't afraid of who he is negotiating a contract with, why all of the secrecy. Further, has the current/former owner of the Nevele informed his potential buyer that part of the property the buyer may be getting is not going to be there if it is cut down.

To me, that is fraud and misrepresentation and could be the straw that breaks the back and kills the sale. How can anyone say that they sold someone real estate and then allow the current owner to alter the state of the property? Perhaps it is part of the contract. No one knows since we don't even know who the potential buyer is. As a resident of Wawarsing, knowing who might be buying the property is important. Are we going to end up with long-term litigation because the new buyer wants to put 2,000 homes on the property? Is the new buyer going to claim religious exemption of the property and take it off the tax roles? Is the buyer(s) going to try to create a new community within the Town and then try to alter our Town's way of life?

Look at the old Homowack. That property was purchased by members of the New Square community in the hopes of forming a similar enclave in Sullivan County. I know this for a fact since I was involved in negotiations to purchase a piece of partially developed property on Route 17K between Circleville and Bloomingburg. It was stated to me that the partially finished buildings were to house a Kosher butcher who was going to provide for the new community that they wanted to stretch from Route 209 to Route 17K. The property we were looking at had no work done on it since 2002 and had many numerous violations according to the Town Of Wallkill. Attempts by them to get the violations corrected were constantly being stonewalled by the property owners.

With the Nevele, which is many times the size of the Homowack property, are we going to be saddled with the similar situation which will tax our Town/Village resources? I do mention the Village since the Village provides water/sewage to the property and the volunteer fire department has to provide fire protection services. Taking such a large piece of property off of the tax roles will do nothing but put the burden on everyone else and force even more people to leave the area.

So, Mr. Nevele Grande Owner - Who is your potential buyer or was it all a smoke screen and sham job?

Joel Schreibman
Ellenville

I want to thank the Ellenville coordinators for a successful trip to the Walkway Over the Hudson event. Everyone from sign-up to the bus ride, art work, event, and return. I'm proud to display on my jacket the two buttons representing Ellenville and Wawarsing. The day was filled with friendliness, laughter, and bewilderment. A light rain was around, ponchos were passed out to participants. A half hour or so later it stopped and the weather became favorable for the day.

It was a magnanimous achievement of high ranking politicians on the bridge and hundreds of town fold on the adjacent road. We were lined up in our respective towns all the way down the road as far as you could see.

The theme was an emblem of the town and insignia flags stretched between two bamboo poles. Each of us in teams holding the flags high over our heads. As our wait time for the parade was long it was fun to walk around and admire the flags from the different towns. I stood at the top of the group and looked down the formation with the flags held high and gently moving in the breeze. There was the Artswave waiting its turn to be viewed on the bridge. The opening ceremony over, the signal, for the parade to begin, drums and bagpipes, we walk forward holding the flags onto the bridge. Its astounding, the bridge is wide, parade walkers from both sides, passing camera stands, musicians, and dancers. There are frequent stops and we can marvel at the scenery from so high up in the air. A clear day it was with a half-moon replica boat floating under the bridge and shooting off a cannon on occasion to commemorate the [Walkway] opening and the 400 year celebration of the Henry Hudson voyage.

All the event concepts: friendliness, organization, community flags displayed on bamboo poles. This in my opinion, is Artswave tribute to Open Air, On a Rail Trail Bridge over the Hudson.

John Nodar
Kerhonkson

The Napanoch Public Interest Group held its Summer Concert Series Wednesday evenings in August. The success of these concerts was due to the hard work of our members and other individuals who contributed either monetarily or by donating their time.

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following sponsors who donated money to bring these bands to our community: Freers Tax Service, Hot Shotz, Shadowland Theatre, Peters Market, Route 209 Sand & Gravel, Napanoch Florist, Country Flowers, James' General Store, and Ellenville Teachers/School Related Personnel Association.

Also included in our thanks are: Napanoch Fire Company; Town of Wawarsing, Jim MacKenzie; Gil Davis; Shawangunk Valley Senior Citizens; WELV & Channel 20; St. Marks United Methodist Church for their post-concert desserts; Lea & Charlie Freer, Steve Bradley and Bucky Green for their donations to our free hot dogs at our last concert.

We would also like to acknowledge Barbara Bleitzhofer for arranging the entertainment, which consisted of the following: The Crownmatrix; The Carl Richards Band; Yankee Rose; and the Kurt Henry Band.

Once again, we would like to thank everyone who attended and helped make this Concert Series successful.

Steve Bradley
President, Napanoch Public Interest Group

It takes a whole village to raise a child and definitely it takes the whole community to pay attention to the people in our areas. This is the relentless and dedicated attitude displayed by Mr. Tterryl Bracey, who is the operator of T's Barbershop, located at 8 Market Street, here in Ellenville New York.

He has sponsored a skateboard organization, sponsoring aspiring youth singers, rappers,artists with talent shows and volunteering his time to the local food pantry (community action), inspired him even further with his efforts.

Now, a discount price of $2.00 will be the cost of haircuts at T's barbershop. This price will be honored in exchange for a bag of canned goods, collected at the barbershop and then donated to the neighborhood food pantry. These good deeds are unmentioned for credit by Mr. Bracey and his only request is that each one, teach one. His desire is that the good people of this community all do their parts by helping out the needy, the seniors and the youth, everyday. I think that he has the right idea.

My name is Cheryl Smith and i am a volunteer at Ellenville Community Action.

Cheryl Smith
Ellenville