Rock Hill Business and Community Association

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

September 16, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Steve Booth made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 19^th meeting, 2^nd by Joe Henle. It passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne DeSimone advised we have some candidates that have accepted our invitation to speak at our October meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised our total income year to date is $4,903.00; expenses are $2,880.04 for a net ordinary income of $2,022.96. We have $11,215.38 in the checking account of which $8,007.39 is unrestricted. Our community sign grant fund has a current balance of $2,957.99.

Town of Thompson Report:

Bill Rieber advised the walking path is out to bid and may be completed this fall. The Town clean up is scheduled for Oct. 9, 10 and 11.

Old Business:

Community Block Party: Yvonne thanked Steve Booth for donating the tents for the block party. Bonnie Smith suggested we issue a public thank you to the businesses that contributed. Yvonne will issue a press release. The fire department was a great help in setting up and taking down the tables and chairs and in the final clean up of the area. The general consensus was we should do it again next year with more advertising in the Rock Hill area. We should also sell tickets ahead of time.

New Business:

Yvonne spoke of having a winter dinner party at Bernie’s. Friday, March 26^thwas chosen provided it is ok with Jay.

The Holiday Party will be November 29^th at 5:30 pm at Dutch’s provided the date is ok with Krissy.

Bonnie spoke of a maintenance grant from Renaissance we may be eligible for.

We discussed possibly not having a Dec. or Jan. meeting.

Our next meeting will be on October 21^st at 7 pm at the firehouse.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

August 19, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Joe Henle made a motion to approve the minutes of the July 15^th meeting, 2^nd by Jack Youngs and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne DeSimone mentioned the Community Block Party to be held on September 5^th. It is free to all and sponsorships will be needed to help defray the cost.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised our total income year to date is $3,970.00; expenses are $1,193.92 for a net ordinary income of $2,776.08. We have $11,868.50 in the checking account of which $8,760.51 is unrestricted. Our community sign grant fund has a current balance of $2,957.99. Real Estate United is a new member and they are submitting paperwork for our matching sign grant program.

Yvonne introduced our guest speaker, Steve Ruwoldt, CEO of Catskill Regional Hospital. Mr. Ruwoldt spoke about the changes that have been implemented at the hospital since he took over two years ago. The hospital is one of the largest employers in Sullivan County and a list of the services they provide can be found on their website.

Town of Thompson Report:

Cliff Schwartz advised the planning board accepted the FEIS for the Rock Hill Town Center with a vote of 3-1. Unforeseen technical construction issues have delayed the completion of the community building at the Town Park. At this time, it appears unlikely that the building will be completed before the end of next summer. There will also be a dog park built at the park.

Old Business:

Community Block Party: Yvonne advised the date is Saturday, September 5^th from 11 am to 4 pm at the Firehouse grounds. Sponsor donations now total $1,300 plus and will cover the cost of the band and cotton candy machine. The Trading Post is doing in kind donations and the event is free for Rock Hill residents – just bring a food dish. Flyers will be posted in the Post Office and the lake communities. She also advised there is a new issue of the newsletter.

New Business:

Scott Mace has begun a program in the pharmacy for people to turn in all their old meds and used syringes. He will send them to be destroyed in an eco-friendly way. This keeps meds out of our groundwater and syringes disposed of properly. Yvonne advised the RHBCA is supporting Scott's efforts and urges our members to participate

Joe Henle suggested since there are numerous elections taking place this year on the Town and County level, we should invite all the candidates to our Oct. meeting to each speak for 3 minutes. This would give Rock Hill residents a chance to meet them and hear what they have to say. Yvonne will make the necessary arrangements.

Our next meeting will be on September 16th at 7 pm at the firehouse.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

July 15, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Tony Cellini led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jack Youngs made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 17^th meeting, 2^nd by Peter Briggs and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne DeSimone mentioned the Community Block Party to be held on September 5^th. It is free to all and sponsorships will be needed to help defray the cost.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have assets totaling $11,516.19 of which $8,308.20 is unrestricted. Our year to date income is $3,345, expenses $1,021.23 leaving a net income of $2,323.77.

Town of Thompson Report:

? Tony Cellini has met with the Town Engineer, Bob Geneslaw and the two Town Attorneys regarding the Rock Hill Town Center. It has been agreed that the landscape of Rock Hill Drive will not change – no taking of parking areas and no curbs. If the project advances, the Town will take another look at what is needed to accommodate the project. The Planning Board is having a work session on July 21^st at 5:30 pm to discuss the FEI

? Tony Cellini advised the $225k for the walking path has been restored on both the federal and state levels thanks to the efforts of George Cooke. Construction should start in early fall.

Old Business:

A discussion took place about the speed limit on Rock Hill Dr and Lake Louise Marie Rd. The consensus of the members is that Rock Hill Dr. should stay at 40 mph and Lake Louise Marie Rd. should be 40 mph from Katrina Falls Rd to No. Emerald Dr and 30 mph from No. Emerald Drive to Wolf Lake Rd. This is on the agenda for the Town Board meeting on the 21^st. A resident asked if a sign for Wurtsboro Mountain Rd. could be put up at its starting point (Bowers Rd).

Jack Youngs spoke about the plantings across the road from the Lodge. The area has been weeded and mowed and the plants are doing well. Joe Henle advised we may not want to use the wood chips as mulch as mold could be spread to the plants. We will look into buying mulch for the area, possibly made from tires.

Summer Block Party: The date is Saturday, September 5^th from noon to 4pm at the Firehouse grounds. Music will be provided by Four Dogs Playing Poker and there will be pot luck food and games for all ages. We have received some donations but we need more to help pay for the band and paper goods.

Jay Weintein advised the new building in the Corporate Park will hopefully break ground by next spring.

Our next meeting will be on August 19^th at 7 pm at the firehouse. Our guest speaker will be Steve Ruwoldt, CEO of Catskill Regional Hospital

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

June 17, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Andy Cannella led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Claire Youngs made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 20th meeting, 2^nd by Andy Cannella and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne DeSimone thanked everyone for helping at the Veterans Memorial dedication. Andy advised he ordered a new American flag. Old flags can be taken to the landfill where they will dispose of them in the proper manner.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have assets totaling $11,766.98, accounts receivable of $435.00 for total current assets of $12,201.98. Our directory maintenance fund has a balance of $250, Sign Grant Fund balance is $2,957.99 and members equity balance is $6,419.43. We have a new business member, Real Estate United, that has recently moved into Rock Hill.

Town of Thompson Report:

? Tony Cellini advised the $225k for the walking path has been restored on both the federal and state levels thanks to the efforts of George Cooke. The project will be sent out to bid again.

? A discussion took place about the speed limit on Rock Hill Dr and Lake Louise Marie Rd. Many felt it should be lowered on RH Dr and many felt it should be left at 40 mph. The majority felt the speed limit should be raised on LLM Rd. The final decision was to defer any decision until the business owners could voice their opinions. We will ask them to attend the next meeting.

? Kris Douglas spoke about the need for volunteers for the Ambulance Corps. They may have to close down if their membership is not increased.

? The County Hazardous Waste Clean-up will be on July 12^th from 12:30 - 4:30 pm at the landfill. Permits are required.

? Pictures from the Veterans Memorial dedication ceremony are online as well as a History of the Town thru Pictures which is on the Town website.

Old Business:

Summer Block Party: Yvonne has spoken to Joe DeJesus and a tentative date is August 29^th. The cost of the band, etc. was discussed and we will work on getting donations to help defray the costs.

The Rock Hill Town Center Public Hearing is next Wednesday night at 7:30 pm at Town Hall. Cliff Schwartz explained some of the changes they have made regarding the size of the commercial and residential aspects of the project. Tony advised that wastewater treatment and traffic are two main issues that must be addressed after the public hearing.

Chris Wallace advised that whiskey barrels around the telephone poles in front of the businesses on RH Drive probably won’t work. Cars would drive into them, who would water them and where would they be stored during the winter are some of the problems. It was agreed we would not put up fake flowers on the poles.

New Business:

Carol Nasr advised the bushes and trees planted last year across from the Lodge need weeding and mulch. Wanaksink Lake is having trees chipped and they could have the wood chips dumped at the site. She will advise the dates.

Our next meeting will be on July 15^th at 7 pm at the firehouse.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

May 20, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Cliff Schwartz made a motion to approve the minutes of April 15th meeting, 2^nd by Andy Cannella and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne thanked Mark Newfield for hosting tonight’s meeting. Mark thanked everyone for coming. He spoke about the number of parents that visit the camp each season. They are always looking for something to do or someplace to eat. He suggested the business owners may want to give out a coupon or other means of attracting the business of the over 100 families that visit the camp. Paul Walsh said he would look into sharing the bags left over from the Pharmacy grand opening. He also suggested the older campers may want to participate in some sort of community service. Yvonne hopes we can have our May meeting at the camp on an annual basis.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have $8,618.16 in unrestricted funds. He will be billing the businesses on the directory sign for the yearly maintenance fee for the upkeep of the sign in June. 15 business and 19 individual members have not paid yet this year. We have collected $2,200 in dues this year and $695 in donations towards the planner. Paul made a motion to allocate $250 to buy a weed whacker to maintain the unmowable areas, 2^nd by Andy. It passed unanimously.

Town of Thompson Report: Kris Douglas advised Don Price retired from the Town Clerk position and Marilee Calhoun was appointed Town Clerk for the remainder of the year. Cliff advised Cherry Valley was approved by the Town Board to hook into the EGLLM Sewer District. Cheryl Stickle (Provident Bank) thanked everyone for coming to the grand opening on the 16^th. There were 250+ people there to help celebrate.

Old Business:

Veteran’s Memorial Sign: Cliff advised the memorial will be 2 ½‘ high on an 8” base and will be ready by Flag Day. Our dedication ceremony will be on Sunday, June 14^th at 1pm and all are invited.

Summer Block Party: Yvonne has spoken to Joe DeJesus who did something similar last summer. He is willing to partner with us to do something for the entire community this year.

Newsletter: Yvonne thanked Tim McCausland and Paula Kay for helping to defray the cost of printing the newsletter.

New Business: Yvonne spoke about the low attendance at our meetings and is looking for suggestions from business owners as to what type of marketing promo they would like. Andy suggested coupons for each business. A suggestion was made to invite a marketing specialist to come to a meeting of the business owners to offer their expertise.

We will look into putting flowers around the telephone poles along Rock Hill Dr. Paul made a motion, 2^nd by Audrey, to allocate $1,500 to purchase flowers. It passed unanimously.

Paul will help find someone to put the banners up.

The American Cancer Society is sponsoring the Sullivan County Relay for Life on June 6 & 7 at Sullivan County Community College.

Our next meeting will be on June 17^th at 7 pm at the firehouse with a Meet & Greet at 6:30 pm.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

April 15, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm. Tony Cellini led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Cliff Schwartz made a motion to approve the minutes of the March 18^th meeting, 2^nd by Audrey Sloat and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne advised she spoke at the last RH Fire Dept. meeting and thanked the members for all they do for our association (especially the use of the firehouse for our meetings) and for the community. She also advised Mark Newfield has invited us to have our May meeting at Camp Iroquois Springs.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have a new member. We have collected $2,040 in dues year to date, our expenses were $571, giving us a net income of $2,163.68. We have $11,356.10 in the checking account of which $250 is restricted. We spent $3,556.91 on the planner and have received $695 in donations towards her fee. Joe will be sending out reminder notices for unpaid dues.

Town of Thompson Report: Tony Cellini advised that he met with Governor Paterson’s deputy regarding a Stockbridge Munsee Casino project. The Concord project will start work again soon. There will be a public hearing on May 5^th to hear comments regarding the request by Cherry Valley to hook into our sewer system. The Town clean up will be May 16^th through May 19^th and permits may be obtained at Town Hall starting May 1^st.

Old Business:

Veteran’s Memorial Sign: Cliff advised we have obtained three bids and Michael Feinstein in Monticello is the lowest at $4,000. It will be made of jet black granite and will just say Veterans Memorial – park will be eliminated. It will include the 6 insignia and the American Flag. We have the necessary approvals from the State and Town. A motion to give a deposit to Mr. Feinstein and have him make a draft of what will go on the stone was made by Paul Walsh, 2^nd by Jane Bloom and passed unanimously. The project will be paid out of our remaining Renaissance funds.

Our Teak Bench that we received from Renaissance last fall will be moved to our shed. We will treat it (and clean up our existing benches) soon. Volunteers are welcome to help with the project.

The Pharmacy grand opening will be on May 16^th from 10am to 2pm. Macaroni the Clown and Thunder 102 will be there. There will be food, a raffle and goody bags which will include our newsletter. Yvonne thanked our 3 sponsors who are printing copies of the newsletter for us. They are Paula Kay, Tim McCausland and Paul Walsh.

Yvonne advised the YMCA dinner will be on May 7^th.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

March 18, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm. Tony Cellini led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Andy Cannella made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 18^th meeting, 2^nd by Cliff Schwartz, and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne thanked everyone for coming. She is continuing to meet with members of the community to promote community unity between Rock Hill and the Town of Thompson.

Yvonne advised Lisa Mills from the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce is asking our association to sell “squares” for $1.00 each. Our goal is to sell 1000 of them as a community. All proceeds benefit Sullivan County. Yvonne will be visiting Rock Hill businesses to solicit their help to reach our goal.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have received $1,850 in dues and $670 in donations for Susan Roth for a total income of $2,520. Our expenses were $248 leaving a net ordinary income of $2,272 for the period ending 3/18/09.

Town of Thompson Report: Tony Cellini advised that he, along with Jonathan Rouis, will be meeting with Governor Patterson regarding a Stockbridge Munsee Casino project. The Concord project will start work again this coming Monday.

Paul Walsh thanked Tony for overseeing spending in the Town of Thompson and realizing we need to tighten our belts during these economic times.

Yvonne introduced Allan Scott, President of Alsco Management and CEO of the Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency. Allan gave an overview of how the Agency benefits businesses in Sullivan County.

Sharon Jankiewicz advised the Town Board that she had been asked by some people if the speed limit on Rock Hill Dr. could be lowered and if the speed limit on Lake Louise Marie Rd. could be raised. She asked that we discuss this as a community and advise the Town of our feelings. After a discussion by the members, it was decided we would ask the Sheriff to monitor the traffic along these two roads and we would make a final decision after receiving his report.

Veteran’s Memorial Sign: Cliff has spoken with Andy Cannella about putting a sign at the Veteran’s Memorial at the Ambulance Corps. Andy has gotten preliminary approval from Tony Cellini and Richard Benjamin to place the sign in the Town right of way. Cliff has gotten a quote of $4,000 for a black granite memorial which would be long lasting and need minimal maintenance. A discussion took place regarding the sign, materials to be used and what would be engraved on it. A motion was made by Andy Cannella, 2^nd by Bonnie Smith to install a sign in black granite which would read Veteran’s Memorial Park and have the 6 insignias for the branches of the armed services and an American Flag engraved on it. We would get permission from the Ambulance Corps. before finalizing the project. The motion passed unanimously.

Cliff spoke briefly about the Parkwood development and the RH Town Center. He advised the Town of Thompson has revoked its original decision to deny Cherry Valley permission to hook into the Emerald Green Sewer District. Tony explained the Town is settling for $60,000 being paid to the district. The Town feels they can find the 7000 gallon/day needed by Cherry Valley by fixing the leaks in the infiltration plant. There will be a public hearing on May 5^th. Cliff also advised Omni-point has been given approval by the planning board for T-Mobile to use the existing tower with no change in its height. This will only improve service on Rte. 17.

Yvonne advised Camp Iroquois Springs has job openings for the summer in the office and for security.

Public Comment: Paul Walsh advised if the landfill is closed, the County will charge all residents a user fee ($182 to $1800 depending on whether you are a residential user or a business). You would still pay your hauler but at a reduced price.

Yvonne advised the grand opening at the new pharmacy will be on May 16^th. Everyone is invited.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

February 18, 2009

Yvonne DeSimone called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Paul Walsh made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 21^st meeting, 2^nd by Dale Sonnenschein, and it passed unanimously.

President’s Report: Yvonne thanked everyone for coming and for the support she has received from the members. She advised she will continue to reach out to the members of the Association and the Community in the coming weeks to help keep the lines of communication open.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have a deficit of $178 in net income. We have $9,014.42 in our operating account of which $5,806.43 is unrestricted. There is $250.00 in our directory maintenance fund and $2,957.99 in our sign fund.

Town of Thompson Report: Tony Cellini advised he had met with Yvonne and updated her on what is happening in the Town as well as Rock Hill.

Yvonne introduced Cheryl Stickle, Manager of the Provident Bank Branch that just opened in Rock Hill. Cheryl spoke briefly about the many products the bank offers.

Yvonne introduced Randy Grant, Executive Director of the YMCA of Middletown and Sullivan Counties. He has been with the YMCA for 28 years. The Y has 21 million members and is America’s largest provider of child care. The Y has chosen to open a facility in Rock Hill because of our proximity to Rte. 17, the number of areas that are within a 15 minute drive from which to draw members and the per capita income of the area. Once ground is broken, there would be a 2-3 phase build-out which would include a 20,000sf facility, a camp and child care, to name just a few of their functions. They are currently running youth sports at Monticello High School and this summer will be their second year running the Town day camp. They are currently servicing 1700 members in Sullivan and 8000 in Orange County. Membership dues are $20/mo. in Monticello and $46/mo in Middletown.

The YMCA and Rock Hill Fire Dept. are co-sponsoring the Ski Race at Holiday Mountain on February 28^th.

Old Business: Cliff reported Parkwood will prepare a full DEIS for their proposed development of 175 2-family units. They are looking to connect to the Emerald Green Sewer Plant.

Rock Hill Town Center: Cliff advised the developers are now proposing to revert to what they describe as their "as of right" proposal which would increase the amount of housing units and decrease the commercial portion from 480k sq. ft. to 60k sq. ft. They may have to submit a new DEIS and be subject to a new public hearing.

Easter egg Hunt: The firehouse is not available in April and due to lack of time and volunteers, it was decided not to hold this event this year.

New Business: Omni point is seeking permission from the Planning Board to enhance the cell tower near the Neversink River bridge to allow better reception along Route 17. The Planning Board has so far not approved the applicant's request because it does not provide for improved coverage for the broader Rock Hill area.

The next meeting will be March 18^th and Allan Scott will be our speaker.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 pm

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

January 21, 2009

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Cliff Schwartz made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 17^th meeting, 2^nd by Andy Cannella, and it passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have $9,212.42 in the checking account of which $6,004.43 is unrestricted. Total income for 2008 was $3,220.00; total expenses were $4,834.54 leaving us with a deficit of -$1,614.54. This is a result of the consultant fee paid to Susan Roth in the amount of $3,556.91. We have $7,143.07 in Renaissance funds remaining to be spent. The Association has 61 community members and 51 business members. The dues billing will go out by the beginning of February.

Town of Thompson Report: Cliff spoke about the January 14^th Planning Board meeting at which Melinda Ketchum Meddaugh of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy explained how conservation easements can be used to promote environmentally sound land use. In a typical scenario, a developer would be allowed to cluster development on part of a parcel in exchange for a conservation easement, which would require that another part of the parcel be kept in its natural state in perpetuity. The easement typically would become part of the land deed, meaning that all future property owners would be bound by its terms. It was reported that the Conservancy is in discussion with Simon Gelb regarding the possibility of integrating conservation easements with the development of the Parkwood Development. The Planning Board concluded that it will require a full Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Parkwood.

Kris read Cliff’s update about the Holiday Tree & Menorah Lighting Celebration. He advised that Chet stepped up at the last minute and did a great job as MC, Sylvia Schwartz talked about Chanukah, Pastor Jack spoke about Christmas, Barbara Mancroni and Bradford Smith played guitar and Dot Breen, Wayne Mancroni, Betty Klein, and Debbie Durland of the Methodist Church choir sang Christmas carols. In addition to setting up the tree with her family, Diane Mace baked for the party. Christine Westerman brought food. Logan Ottino baked. Kathy Frasier made latkes. Jay and Shelly Weinstein of Bernie's provided the hot chocolate. Jane Bloom and family will maintain the menorah lighting throughout Chanukah. Thank you to the Rock Hill Fire Department for providing the outdoor lighting and for providing the official transportation for Santa Claus.

The winners of the Holiday Lighting Contest were: 1^st Prize – Gary & Bonnie Smith, 2nd Prize – Steve & Denise Chocolate and 3^rd Prize – John & Evelyn Peralo. Gallery of The Lakes won 1^st Prize in the Business category. Our sincere thanks to Carol Pozefsky for driving throughout Rock Hill in the worst of weather to choose our winners.

Kris advised she had spoken to Paula Kay about the reusable bags project we have agreed to undertake and Paula advised she is working with Sullivan Renaissance and will have more information soon.

New Business: Kris advised the slate for new officers is: Yvonne DeSimone as President, Cliff Schwartz as Vice President, Kris Douglas as Secretary and Joe Henle as Treasurer. She asked for nominations from the floor – there were none. Christine Westerman made a motion to elect the slate, 2^nd by Andy Cannella. It passed unanimously. Christine thanked Jane Bloom and Susan Butler for their service as Pres & VP in 2008.

Yvonne advised Randy Grant from the YMCA will be speaking at our February meeting.

Kris asked if the association was interested in participating in the Easter Egg Hunt again this year. The consensus was we should and a good date would be Saturday, April 4^th. We will coordinate with the Ambulance Corps to finalize the details.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

December 17, 2008

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Paul Walsh made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 19^th meeting, 2^nd by Joan Oppenheimer, and it passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have two new members. There is $9,418.93 in the checking account of which $6,210.94 is unrestricted. We have $466.43 in net income.

Town of Thompson Report: Kris Douglas advised there was a public hearing Tuesday night for the Town of Thompson Local Law presented at last months meeting to include ancillary services in the Corporate Park. No one spoke at the hearing and the Town Board passed the law unanimously. She thanked Alan Sorensen, Paula Kay and Michael Mednick for their help in getting the law ready for the public hearing. Paula advised the Parkwood project is interested in expanding our sewer district to include their project. The DEC may retain lead agency status of this project.

Paul Walsh advised the Holiday Tree and Menorah Lighting will be on Sunday, December 21 at

6 pm at Dutch’s. The Fire Dept. will take care of lighting the area and will bring Santa on the fire truck, Sylvia Schwartz will do a prayer, the Mace family has already decorated the tree and put up the Menorah, Bernie’s will supply the hot chocolate, Steve’s Music will supply the sound system and Krissy will get Dutch’s ready for the get together afterwards.

Town Center: Kris advised the Public Hearing for the Rock Hill Town Center held last Wednesday was well attended by people from Rock Hill. There were about 12 speakers who covered many areas of the DEIS that they felt needed attention or should be monitored. The majority of the people felt the project was “just too big” for our area. The Planning Board closed the hearing but will accept written comments until December 31^st. Cliff Schwartz spoke about the DOT’s response to the DEIS. Cliff passed out copies of Susan Roth’s final letter to the members.

Carol Pozefsky has volunteered to drive around Rock Hill and pick the winners of the lighting contest.

Paul advised Jerry D’Agostino was elected as a Fire Dept. Commissioner.

Kris thanked John Dollard and Carl Kerber for taking down our banners, Jane Bloom and family for agreeing to light the Menorah each night and Paul Walsh for setting up the Holiday party.

New Business: Paula asked if the Association would be willing to make up our own reusable bags that could be given out/sold by the businesses in Rock Hill. This idea originated from Pete at the Trading Post. David Geyra offered to get prices for the bags and Paula, Pete and Ed Gallet will work on the logistics of what to put on the bags, how many to start with, etc. They will report back at our next meeting. Paul made a motion that the Association undertakes the project of the bags, 2^nd by Paula and passed unanimously.

The Association will be holding elections at the January meeting. Anyone interested in running for office should contact Jane Bloom.

Public Comments: Paul Walsh spoke about the YMCA wanting to come to Rock Hill. It was agreed we would ask their representatives to speak at our January meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

November 19, 2008

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Andy Canella made a motion to approve the minutes of the October 22^nd meeting, 2^nd by Jane, which passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have 17 new individual members. We have collected $3,155 in dues and our expenses were $1,172.87 giving us a net income of $1,856.59. We have $10,819.09 in our account, $9,611.10 of which is unrestricted.

Renaissance Liaison Report: Susan Butler spoke about the Teak Bench the community received from Sullivan Renaissance upon completion of our Category C projects. It will be put out next spring at a location to be chosen by the members.

Old Business: Walter Garigliano advised Mario Martinez has entered into contracts to purchase the Goodstein lots in the Corporate Park. Alan Sorensen has worked on a Local Law Filing to include Ancillary Principal Uses for the zoning at the Corporate Park. Walter passed out a copy of the proposed Local Law showing the new amendment which includes a bank branch (bank drive thru), deli, coffee shop, newspaper or candy stand or packaging and shipping service provided that the maximum size of each Ancillary Principal Use shall net exceed 1,500 square feet and the aggregate size of all Ancillary Principal Uses in a building shall not exceed the lesser of 6,000 square feet or 15% of the gross building area. Jane called for a show of hands for those in favor of the Local Law. There were 21 in favor and none opposed.

Rock Hill Town Center: Kris Douglas read the voting results for the ballot that was sent out to our 104 members. Question #1 (should RHBCA express its concerns regarding the development) was 45 yes, 6 no, 3 abstain. Questions #2 (should we hire Susan Roth) and #3 (should we use RHBCA unrestricted funds if necessary to pay for Susan Roth) were 38 yes, 13 no, 2 abstain and 1 maybe. The question on the survey page (would you be willing to contribute to help finance hiring of Susan Roth) was 28 yes, 17 no and 1 abstain. The top 3 results for concerns about the project from the survey were: Traffic/road networks/land seizure, they should downsize the project and a strain on services/taxes. The top 3 benefits were: an increase in traffic/business in Rock Hill, the YMCA and some commercial space would increase the tax revenue.

Cliff Schwartz introduced Susan Roth. Susan asked if many people were planning to make a statement at the public hearing. She will hold a workshop on Dec. 3^rd to help guide those that are interested in how to make a meaningful statement. She will also present her findings of the DEIS at that time. A discussion took place about the Town Center and questions were answered about various aspects of the development. The time and place of the Dec. 3^rd meeting will be announced.

Veteran’s Day: Jane thanked Andy Cannella for his Veteran’s Day Ceremony at the Memorial. Andy advised he has replaced the flags that were in poor condition. He did have a duet for the National Anthem and hopes to continue that tradition in the future.

New Business: The Holiday Tree and Menorah lighting ceremony will be on Sunday, December 21^st at 6pm at Dutch’s.

We need volunteers to drive through Rock Hill to find the winners of the Holiday House and Business decoration contest.

The Gallery of the Lakes will be lighting their tree on Friday, November 28^th at 6pm.

Town of Thompson Report: Cliff advised the Kingwood project is now the Parkwood project and has withdrawn from Fallsburg and Mamakating. They are now planning to build 350 homes in Thompson with no plans for commercial development. They want the Town of Thompson Planning Board to be lead agency. They are also talking about donating 250 acres to the YMCA.

The election for Fire Commissioner is December 9^th at the firehouse from 6-9 pm. Chet advised Jerry D’Agostino, Tom Belgiovene and Kevin McGarvey are all running for the one open spot.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

October 22, 2008

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Paul Walsh made a motion to approve the minutes of the September 17^th meeting, 2^nd by Ken Hill which passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have collected $2,865 in dues year to date and our net income is $1,805.26. We have $21,275.86 in the bank of which $11,746.98 is restricted.

Renaissance Liaison Report: Jane advised Sandra Gerry will be coming to Rock Hill on Friday at 5:30pm to celebrate our accomplishments in the Sullivan Renaissance program and gift us a personalized teak garden bench. We will be meeting at Nana’s House and all are welcome to come and thank her.

Old Business: Alan Sorensen spoke about the Corporate Park and how the County is trying to get new developers/tenants to build there. Restrictive zoning has been a problem and he would like to draft a zoning text amendment to change the zoning laws to allow certain types of ancillary businesses such as a coffee shop. A suggestion was made to make sure the hours of the ancillary business would be the same as the hours of the other tenants in the building. A show of hands showed the audience was overwhelmingly in favor of this proposal. Alan will come to our next meeting with his proposed amendment.

Yvonne DeSimone advised the first newsletter should be ready within a month. If anyone has something to contribute for the human interest section or information about the history of Rock Hill that they would like to see in future editions, they can contact Yvonne.

Susan Butler spoke about the Trunk or Treat to be held at Nana’s House on October 31^st from 6-8 pm. Anyone can set up and decorate their trunk in a well lit, safe environment. There are already 21 trunks registered including the Fire Dept. and Ambulance Corps.

New Business: Jane advised there will be a presentation tomorrow night at the Hype Room at the Racino given by the Cappelli Group and sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce about how the Concord project can help your business.

Andy Cannella advised our Veteran’s Day ceremony will be on November 8^th at 1pm at the Veteran’s Memorial at the Ambulance Corps. All are invited to attend. Ralph Bova will not be able to sing the Star Spangled Banner this year so Andy is looking for a volunteer. Susan asked Andy if he would be ordering new flags for next year.

Scott Mace advised the new pharmacy is progressing on schedule and should open in January.

Rock Hill Town Center: Cliff Schwartz spoke about the Town Center project. He has been following the progress of the project for the past year. The Town Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing for December 10^th at 7:30 pm at Town Hall (postponed from November 12^th). Cliff has looked at the documents presented to date and feels the project has the potential to overwhelm our community. Roads, traffic patterns, the existing business district, fire dept, ambulance corps. and police protection are just some of the concerns surrounding this development. He stated “The development should take on a form to fit our community and help it thrive.” He feels his individual efforts have not borne fruit but have helped to spark interest in the community. The association has considered hiring someone to assist us with developing our thoughts and get community feedback. He introduced Susan Roth, a professional planner from Monroe who has helped small communities cope with large projects. Susan explained the project can be integrated into the community but will take work on our part. She would look into the DEIS for us and reach out to the community for their comments through a series of workshops.

Comments from the audience included:

Water & soil running downhill from the development to Edwards Rd.
We should put something in the newspaper to let people know about the project
We have something to protect – should not let it get like Queens
The tax structure of the development should be equal to ours
Why are they holding the public hearing when the major portion of the community is in Fla.
What would be their water and sewer source
Let people not here have a say – Kris advised we will accept letters to present to the planning board
There will be no market for the project unless it is Section 8 low end housing
Project is in Thompson & Fallsburg, how much will be built in each, districts needed to fund fire, police, etc – what will be the impact on our current taxes
Project is in Thompson only. We should invite the developer to a meeting to present their plans and answer our questions.
It’s progress
It must fit into the community

Cliff advised Susan Roth would work for $75/hr and she thinks 45 hours should be enough to take us through the public hearing, speak at the planning board and help us develop our thoughts. The total expenditure would be $3,500. A vote to hire Susan Roth at a cost of $3,500 was taken. The results were 15 for and 4 against which the board believed was not a quorum.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

September 17, 2008

Susan Butler called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Paul Walsh made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 20^th meeting, 2^nd by Christine Westerman which passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised our net income is $1,923.82. An additional $150 went into the directory sign maintenance fund from David Appel. We have $9,648.33 in unrestricted funds and $11,496.09 in restricted funds which consists of $957.99 in our Community Sign Grant fund and $10,538.10 in the District Improvement fund.

Town of Thompson Report: Kris Douglas reported that the walking path is moving forward according to Tony Cellini. Paul Walsh asked if we know whether the grant money is still in place. Kris will find out from the Town. The Town fall clean up will be Oct. 9 thru Oct. 12. Permits can be obtained at Town Hall. The next Planning Board meeting is Wed., September 24^th at 7:30pm and the Rock Hill Town Center is again on the agenda. Cliff Schwartz reported that the Town of Thompson and Forestburgh are both protesting properties in their respective districts that were approved by the County to be included in the agricultural district. Naomi Jaffe gave a brief history of her family's farm, her efforts to have the property included in the Sullivan County Agricultural District, and the Town of Thompson's efforts to have the county's agricultural designation overturned.

Renaissance Liaison Report: Helen Budrock advised Susan and Kris will be meeting with Sullivan Renaissance next week to go over the judge’s comments and pick up the final check for our 2008 project. Susan advised we are still considering a proposal by Judy Cutler to paint the abutments of the highway bridge over Katrina Falls Road with faux rocks next year. We will schedule a renaissance committee meeting soon.

Cliff gave an update on the Rock Hill Town Center project. The developer has presented a revised DEIS to the Planning Board. They have requested that the Planning Board approve the DEIS as complete and set a date for a public hearing. Cliff shared letters he has written to the Planning Board in which he urged them not to certify completeness because the developer has not yet answered significant points remaining from the June 2008 preliminary completeness review. The developer has expressed an interest to hook into our sewer district. Kris asked the Town board about this at a meeting and was advised that the initial expansion would cost 250k and a complete expansion to include all new developments in our area would cost 9 million dollars.

Paul Walsh made a motion for the RHBCA to write a letter to the Planning Board expressing concerns about the RH Town Center project and wanting to be kept in the loop. Ken Hill 2^nd the motion and it passed unanimously.

Yvonne DeSimone has received blurbs from several businesses for the newsletter. The first issue should be ready in October. Each issue will have an historic piece in it.

Susan spoke about the Trunk or Treat being co-sponsored by Nana’s House and the RHBCA on October 31^st from 6pm to 8pm at the Nana’s House parking lot. Trunks must be registered by contacting Susan at Nana’s House.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

August 20, 2008

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Susan Butler made a motion to approve the minutes of the July 16^th meeting, 2^nd by Andy Cannella and passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s Report: Joe Henle advised we have collected a total of $2,815 in dues year to date, $2,200 from business members and $615 from individual members. Our expenses total $941.18 leaving us with a net income of $1,873.82. We have $9598.33 in unrestricted funds and $957.99 in our community Sign Grant fund. Joe also advised we are starting a directory sign maintenance fund.

Town of Thompson Report: Cliff Schwartz reported on the August 19^th Town Board meeting. Cliff reported that the Town Board had inserted a last-minute agenda item at its August 19 meeting to address an application submitted by Naomi Jaffe to the Sullivan County Legislature to have her property on Glen Wild Road included in the county’s agricultural district. Members of the Town Board indicated that they did not find out about the application until the day of their meeting and they wanted to address the matter before the Legislature's public hearings, which were scheduled for August 22. In a 4-1 vote, the Town Board stated that they opposed the property's inclusion in the district because of outstanding violations and the potentially adverse impact that the reclassification might have on development plans for adjacent properties, particularly the proposed Rock Hill Town Center Project. [Alan Sorensen subsequently told Cliff that the Legislature had voted to include the Jaffe farm in the agricultural district.] Cliff also reported the Town Board had voted to implement a fee schedule for the performance of State-mandated fire inspections. In addition, Cliff reported that the Town Board had voted at their August 5 meeting to appoint him as an Alternate member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. At their August 19 meeting, Town Board members announced that they had made an error and the position to which Cliff had been appointed did not actually exist.

Kris Douglas spoke about the public hearing held by the Town for the Cherry Valley Development to be built on Old Sackett Rd. The Town has denied their request to hook into the sewer district.

Renaissance Liaison Report: Helen Budrock spoke about the Renaissance award ceremony. She explained completion checks would go out the 3^rd week in September. Rock Hill will have to decide if they want to do one more year to complete their projects or just do them without the judging, intern, etc.

Jack Youngs gave an update on the planting area across from the Lodge. The volunteers have been busy pulling weeds, putting down weed killer and watering the plants once a week. The RHBCA Board requested that Jack ask Ali and Carol Nasr to develop a schedule of ongoing maintenance requirements for the plantings across from the The Lodge and provide ideas for how the maintenance program can be implemented. We must also find a way to keep the area mowed. Paul Walsh will talk to the Town and the State about having them help out.

Cliff led a discussion about the Draft Memorandum prepared by Robert Geneslaw regarding the Rock Hill Towne Center project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Cliff noted that he had sent a letter to the Town Board with his personal comments on Mr. Geneslaw's memorandum. Joe will put a copy of Cliff's letter and the referenced documents on our website.

Yvonne DeSimone passed around an example of a newsletter Rock Hill may want to publish. Paul Walsh voted to go ahead with it, 2^nd by Sharon Jankiewicz and passed unanimously.

Sarah Bogursky pulled the 50-50 ticket and the winner was Michael Davidoff.

Jane adjourned the meeting at 8:35 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

July 16, 2008

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jane asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the June 16^th meeting. A motion was made by Paul Walsh, 2^nd by Cliff Schwartz, and passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s report: Joe Henle advised we have $1,934.47 in net income. We have $21,255.07 in the bank, of which $9,658.98 is unrestricted. 15 members have not paid their 2008 dues but some may have moved from the area.

Town of Thompson Report: Cliff Schwartz advised that Cherry Valley builders are asking the Town for an extension to the sewer district to include a number of homes they are building on Old Sackett Rd. There was a public hearing that was extended until the August 5^th Town Board meeting for anyone that would like to express their opinion.

Renaissance Liaison: Glenn Pontier spoke about:

ü The Sullivan Renaissance Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, August 11^th at 7pm at Bethel Woods. All are welcome to attend.

ü Scholarships to SCCC for volunteers are available - $1500 for a high school senior and $750 for a returning student.

ü The Klezmatics will be giving a free concert for children – information was passed out.

Renaissance update: Susan Butler advised we had a meeting with Glenn and Helen Budrock to discuss where our project is headed this year. Glenn spoke of how there has not been enough support to complete our projects this season. Our sign program has been successful, we have an intern watering our flowers, our first litter pluck was completed and we got the guard rail painted. However, the walking path will not be done this year (this was beyond our control), the auction was cancelled and the bridge will not be painted. We will regroup in the fall and decide if we want to add a 4^th year to complete our projects. We discussed how we need to spend money to get things done instead of just relying on volunteers.

Ali Nasr asked if we could get the property across from The Lodge/Crystal Run mowed and possibly planted to make it look less open. A meeting was set for Thursday, 7/17 to discuss this further.

Corporate Park Survey: Jane discussed having a survey completed by the residents and business owners of Rock Hill to determine what we would like to see in the Corp. Park. Jay Weinstein advised the County is working on taking back 2 parcels from the owners that have not developed them so far. He also advised we cannot have selective zoning. Zoning must consist of broad categories such as light manufacturing, etc. Paul Walsh brought up the issue of keeping the properties within the Corp. Park maintained (mowing and clean up).

A suggestion was made that we send a letter to the County with a copy to the LDC about taking back the properties so they can be marketed.

New Business: Naomi Jaffe is concerned about the Rock Hill Towne Center project destroying the natural beauty of the area. Paul Walsh spoke about the opening of the Monticello Motor Club on July 27^th. He suggested we extend an invitation to them to speak at one of meetings. He also suggested we extend an invitation to the Concord. The new Pharmacy building is moving ahead.

Jane adjourned the meeting at 8:45 pm.

Rock Hill Business & Community Association Meeting Minutes

June 18, 2008

Jane Bloom called the meeting to order at 7 pm and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jane introduced Alan Sorensen. Alan spoke about the Corporate Park and how we can add retail as an accessory to other tenants. We would want to have businesses that compliment our business community, not conflict with it. He reiterated a need to decide what other types of tenants we would like to have there. The county needs to retake possession of the empty parcels in order to market them. A suggestion was made to form a sub-committee to make up a survey of what we want and don’t want as tenants for the residents of Rock Hill to complete. Some possible tenants would be a bank, educational institution, financial services and back office business. A definite no was fast food restaurants.

Jane asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the May 21^st meeting. A motion was made by Christine Westerman, 2^nd by Cliff Schwartz, and passed unanimously.

Treasurer’s report: Joe Henle advised we have collected $2,815 in dues; total expenses are $880.53 leaving us with $1,934.47 in Net Ordinary Income. We currently have $21,255.07 in the bank of which $9,658.98 is unrestricted.

Town of Thompson Report: Sharon Jankiewicz spoke about the walking path. The State DOT will not allow stamped asphalt on the entire path, only on the edges. ADA regulations say the path must be a smooth surface and handicap accessible. The Town will have the project sent out to rebid and the grass median is still in the plan. We asked Sharon if the association would see the plans before they are sent out to bid. She advised we would. The project will probably not be completed this year.

Renaissance Liaison: Glenn Pontier spoke about:

 Sullivan Showcase Awards, sponsored by the Sullivan County Board of Realtors in conjunction with Sullivan Renaissance, will be presented on November 13^th. These awards bring recognition to owners of homes and businesses in Sullivan County who, through their efforts, have enhanced the area in which we all live and work. If anyone is interested in more information, you can call 845-794-2745 or email scbr@verizon.net.

 Seasonal properties are eligible for seed money for beautification projects. For more information, please visit the Sullivan Renaissance website at www.sullivanrenaissance.org or call their office at 845-295-2445.

 There will be a gardening basics workshop for part-time and summer residents on July 9^th at 3:30pm at the Woodridge Synagogue. Sullivan Renaissance hosts this event. Pre-registration is required. Please call 845-295-2445 or email info@sullivanrenaissance.org.

 The Sullivan Renaissance Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, August 11^th at 7pm at Bethel Woods. All are welcome to attend.

Yvonne DeSimone spoke about the SPCA’s Renaissance project. They have been working hard to improve their property on Rock Hill Drive.

Susan Butler advised our 80/20 sign program is underway. The signs at Baker’s Florist and Rock Hill Liquor are already up. The Rock Hill Diner, Paul Walsh, Bernie’s, Lakeside Restaurant and The Trading Post will all be done in time for the judging of our Renaissance project in August.

Jane advised our intern is keeping the flower baskets watered. She also spoke about the need for volunteers for our projects.

Kris Douglas spoke about the auction to be held on July 12^th at the Lodge to benefit our Renaissance project. She asked for donations of new (or almost new) items as well as baskets of goods to be auctioned off. Volunteers will also be needed the day of the auction.

New business: Kris read a letter from The Purdy Family thanking the RHBCA, RH Fire Dept. and RH Ambulance Corps for the wonderful Easter Egg Hunt this year.

Jane adjourned the meeting at 8:25 pm.