The Shandaken town board voted unanimously on February 6 to urge Governor Andrew Cuomo to provide funding for the Unit Management Plan (UMP) for modernization and expansion of Belleayre Ski Center at Highmount. The board’s resolution was proposed in reaction to the governor’s announcement of $20 million to improve Gore Mountain Ski Center, administered by the same state agency that’s in charge of Belleayre, with no mention of funding for the facility that is a significant part of the Shandaken economy.
The UMP passed environmental review and was approved in 2015 but still has not been funded by the state. It calls for $78 million to enable such measures as improvements to snow-making, upgrades to the electrical system, and extension of trails.
Six people stood up from the audience before the vote, encouraging the board to approve the request to the governor. Tony Lanza, former superintendent of Belleayre, said, “We’ve had no improvements in the last decade. We’re at a critical point.”
Kathy Nolan of Catskill Heritage Alliance (CHA) stated that $35 million of the UMP’s provisions were for the ski center, while the rest were devised to link the slopes with the adjacent property of the proposed Belleayre Resort, which her organization has been contesting as environmentally unsound and out of scale with the region. She suggested the board consider asking for the first $35 million of the UMP and separating out the rest, which might be causing controversy in Albany. However, she said if the board left the resolution as is, she would still support it.
Chuck Perez of Big Indian delivered a blistering attack on CHA for blocking the approval of the controversial Belleayre Resort since the project was proposed 16 years ago.
Bill Becker, a skier who owns a home in Mount Tremper, said, “Belleayre Ski Center needs to be funded to keep operating in a safe fashion and to help it modernize and grow, to support our communities.”
The board approved the resolution without modification. The next day, town supervisor Rob Stanley said, regarding people’s comments and the resolution, “We’re really trying to make a statement to the governor’s office. It’s gotten people riled up, and this is really a big deal to people around here.”
Peck Hollow Bridge replacement
Shandaken has received $885,000 from the state’s Bridge NY program, which Governor Cuomo announced last summer. The $200 million initiative is part of a $21.1 billion Department of Transportation five-year capital plan to address infrastructure issues. Bridge NY replaces or repairs bridges and culverts, with an emphasis on projects that address poor structural conditions; lessen weight restrictions or long detours; aid economic development; or reduce the risk of flooding. Stanley said Shandaken is the only community in Ulster County to receive an award in the first round of funding. The money will be used to replace a bridge in Peck Hollow.
In other business:
The town has received a $15,000 grant from the Catskill Watershed Corporation to conduct a study on the feasibility of relocating two buildings on Phoenicia’s Main Street, perched alongside the Stony Clove Creek. The Local Flood Analysis conducted last year for the hamlet of Phoenicia identified the relocation as a cost-effective way of improving resilience in case of future flooding.
Another $15,000 grant, this one from the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program will enable the town to hire a consultant to assist building inspector Warren Tutt in applying to FEMA’s Community Rating System. By providing residents with flood-related information and education, the town can accumulate points that may lower people’s flood insurance by ten to fifteen percent.
Spectrum, as a condition of its merger with Time Warner Cable, has been asked by the state to provide underserved properties with cable service. With Shandaken’s cable franchise agreement up for renewal in May, Stanley and board member Faye Storms plan to form a committee to review the current agreement and seek ways to improve service in the town. Residents lacking access to Internet or cable TV are invited to contact Stanley’s office at 845-688-7165.
Join the family! 
