Hamlet Happenings: April 2022

HAMLET HAPPENINGS
by Kathleen Sullivan

April 2022

HURLEYVILLE-SULLIVAN FIRST

The volunteers in Hurleyville-Sullivan First will be working on several projects this year:
• the signs and stone planters at the entrances to Hurleyville
• the stone planter at the Hurleyville Firehouse
• the historical kiosk at the Hurleyville Firemen’s Park
• the Little Free Library at the Hurleyville Firemen’s Park
And, of course, annuals and perennials will be added to the stone planters and to the barrels on Main Street.
The group will litter pluck on Saturday, April 23 and on Sunday, April 24. Bags will be available by the front door of the firehouse both days for all who can come out and lend a helping hand.

Everyone is welcome to come out and help the members of Hurleyville-Sullivan First plant the planters and barrels. The first planting day is Saturday, June 4. The group will meet at 9 a.m. at the Hurleyville Firemen’s Park.

Please visit www.hurleyvilleny.com for more information about Hurleyville-Sullivan First. You can also visit Hurleyville-Sullivan First on Facebook.

HURLEYVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Volunteers at the church will hold a Bake Sale on Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. until noon. This will be the first fundraiser held at the church since the pandemic began.

Sunday services at the church begin at 9 a.m. Children of all ages are invited to attend Sunday school at the church during services.

Pastor Jorge is delivering sermons online on Facebook at 11 a.m. on Sundays.
The Bible study group meets in the sanctuary at the church every Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Bread of Life Food Pantry at the church will be open on Thursday, April 21 and on Thursday, April 28 from 3 until 5 p.m.

You can pray with others over the phone on the church’s prayer line on Sundays from 7 – 8 p.m. The prayer line phone number is 605-472-5491 and the access code is 251678.

The next “Messy Church” is scheduled for Saturday, April 29 at 5 p.m. Youngsters attending this monthly event enjoy arts & crafts, games, music, singing and other activities that teach the Bible in a fun way. Children taking part in the fun must be accompanied by an adult.

The women’s group at the church, Women in Faith, is gathering items including disposable diapers, new socks, new underwear, gently used clothing and gently used toys for infants and children from newborn to 12 years old. The items will be donated to THE GRANDPARENTS PROGRAM. The program assists grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren who otherwise would be placed in foster care.

Please call Cookie…845-428-5871…or Jena…845-866-0499…for more information on signing up for the children’s choir at the church.

Please call Katrina at 845-436-7942 for more information on the church. You can also get updates at the church’s page on Facebook.

THE SULLIVAN COUNTY MUSEUM AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The museum, located at 265 Main Street in Hurleyville, is open on Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Donations to meet the escalating cost of operating the museum are always welcome.
Guided tours of the museum…behind the scenes and regular exhibits…are available. There is no charge for the hour-long tours but registration is required. Please call 845-434-8044 to make a reservation.

The First Sunday Concerts are back. The concerts are held at the museum on the first Sunday of each month from 2 until 4 p.m. Admission is free. Donations to support the program are appreciated. Performers scheduled for May and June include guitarist Van Manakas and Ellen Iovino on congas and vocals.

Upcoming events at the museum include the opening of the Eldred Post Office display, the first exhibit of the photographs taken by Dr. Frederick Cook and the opening of the Neversink-Hackledam Project exhibit.

The Frederick Cook Society will host a presentation and book signing by Julian Sanction, author of Madhouse at the End of the Earth, on Friday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the museum. The book tells the story of a three-year expedition intended to reach Antarctica that became stuck for months in the icy Bellingshausen Sea.

Volunteers are available to help visitors explore the historical and genealogical resources at the Historical Society’s archives at the museum. The archives are open on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment.

Go to www.scnyhistory.org to learn about the Sullivan County Historical Society and the Sullivan County Museum. You can also visit the Sullivan County Historical Society and Museum on Facebook.

Please call the museum at 845-434-8044 or email info@scnyhistory.org for more information.
COLUMBIA HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE (CHNA)
by Roger Betters and Kathleen Sullivan

The determination of the completeness and accuracy of the new DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) submitted to the Town of Thompson Planning Board by the developer of Gan Eden Estates was on the agenda of the planning board meeting on March 9.

The board and its technical consultants determined that the new statement is not adequate for public review and comments. They concluded that there are quite a number of areas where the statement is not complete and is not in agreement with the final scoping document adopted by the planning board in September, 2020.

Some of the issues requiring more analysis or documentation are:
• soil contamination
• mechanical rock excavation or blasting
• balancing of site materials throughout phased construction
• impact on wetlands associated with development and testing of wells
• impact on neighboring wells associated with development and testing of wells
• sediment and erosion control
• questionable calculation for water supply and demand
• wastewater management
• fiscal impact
• vegetation and wildlife
• impact of traffic
• land use, zoning and community character
• community services
• structural integrity and hazard classification of the onsite dam
• more robust exploration of alternative land uses

After the developer submits a revised DEIS the Planning Board and the board’s consultants will determine within 30 days if the document is complete and in agreement with the scoping document. If the revised DEIS is declared complete the statement along with all exhibits will be available for public review at www.townofthompson.com under the Public Documents/Development Projects tabs. A public hearing will then be scheduled.

The members of CHNA will continue to review the DEIS and to provide input on the ongoing process.

Visit CHNA at www.columbiahill.org and on Facebook to learn how you can help to protect your environment and your community.