During public comment at the Mamakating Town Board meeting, Bill Lothrop, the Sullivan County Battalion #5 deputy fire coordinator, gave an impassioned speech urging action regarding the job of Mamakating Highway Superintendent Robert Hufcut, who was arrested on child sexual assault charges.

Lothrop argued that as an elected official Hufcut should be considered AWOL, as he has "for three weeks now abandoned his position," and not made any contact with his town department. Lothrop said he knew Hufcut was watching the live-streamed meeting, and looking into the Zoom camera, he said, "Huffy, do the right thing. Take a leave of absence and be fair to the town and the tax payers."

It appeared that several of the public present were in agreement with the suggestion; someone in the filled meeting hall commented with, "he doesn't know right from wrong." The board went into executive session with town attorney Ben Gailey for legal counsel, and asked Deputy Highway Superintendent JoAnn Salomone to attend. Upon returning, Town Supervisor Mike Robbins said that "no further action is being taken at this time."

Another audience member then shifted the conversation to an alleged delinquent landlord of a home near Masten Lake. Several other affected homeowners were present and have been in separate talks with various town officials regarding the landlord in question. The landlord, who has several properties, reportedly has a problematic septic tank on one lot that the neighbors of say he is not maintaining. The septic is in such poor repair that raw sewage is allegedly leaking onto their properties and into the street. (At a separate time, the landlord alleged that it was in fact the homeowners complaining who had the inadequate septic.) One neighbor said he was told by town building inspector Mary Grass that he would be contacted by her when the landlord in question was present with his engineer. He said Grass never called. The issue has been ongoing for several years.

Chuck Baker from Chuck's towing garage, was present to discuss towing rates. Citing his rate of $75 as the cheapest in Sullivan County, he said he started to revisit the town's 1970 towing law. Supervisor Robbins recognized that there has not been a rate increase since 1994. Baker listed the expenses that go along with the towing business, including over $2,000 in rent each month and a required $100,000 tow truck. But the expense that Baker said, "you can't put a price on" is the risk of being on the highways. "I've been hit twice."

The board without any pause, resolved to change the speed limit on Mamakating Road (the site of a fatal pedestrian death last year) down to 40 miles per hour on the approach to the Village of Bloomingburg. Councilman Matthew Mordas, who attended the meeting via Zoom, went further by requesting the abolishment of the passing lane. Mamakating Road is a county road, so the board will be requesting the changes from the Sullivan County Highway Department.

Supervisor Robbins thanked Kerron Barnes for forming and conducting the first Trails Summit at Town Hall this past Saturday. Twenty-three delegates from neighboring organizations attended, including the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Bashakill Area Association (BKAA).

John Austin, president of the Port Jervis Rotary Club and volunteer at BKAA, presented a $300 donation to Jackie Broder, director of the Mamakating Environmental Education Center (MEEC), for the center.

Other Business

The board selected July 6 as the date to discuss the town’s proposed short-term rental (STR) law. The workshop portion, which starts at 6 p.m., however, is just for town board members. The public is welcome to attend; there will be 30 minutes after the workshop for the public to comment with a three-minute limit each.

Deputy Highway Superintendent JoAnn Salomone said the highway department is starting pothole repairs now. She also thanked the department for pulling together.

Town Historian Virdanna Lawrence has in her possession a sign given to the town noting its designation as a historic precinct. On September 2, coinciding with the last farmers market, the sign will be posted and Lawrence anticipates all the neighboring communities that were once included in the Mamakating precinct to be present.