In Our Communities
In Hancock, we reported in Riverbed Rumble: DEC opinion causes debate over public access to waterways, that a draft opinion issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in early 2025 reignited a long-simmering dispute over who owns - and may use - the riverbeds beneath the Delaware River and its branches.
The DEC’s draft policy asserted that riverbeds beneath navigable waterways were public, allowing anglers to wade without trespassing. The guidance, while not a law or regulation, drew sharp opposition from riverside property owners in and around Hancock, particularly along the East and West branches.
At a Jan. 21 meeting of the Delaware County Planning Board, Planning Director Shelly Johnson-Bennett said the controversy was not a municipal matter. “It’s a landowner issue, not a municipal issue,” she said, adding, “If you’re going to argue the patent line or property rights, it’s with this organization or DEC. It isn’t a town issue.”
Jerry Vernold, Hancock supervisor, echoed that view. “We have no more control over that than we do over a new exit on Route 17,” he said.
Tensions intensified in late 2024, when an unsigned letter attributed to “Angry landowners along the Delaware River” circulated locally, accusing commercial fishing guides of profiting “at our expense” and calling on residents to confront river users. “The DEC summary means nothing and is purely to intimidate the landowners of their rights,” the letter stated.
A letter from the Syracuse law firm Bond Schoeneck & King, representing members of the Riverland Defense and Unity Foundation, asserted that “the bed of a stream is subject to private ownership, regardless of its navigability,” and requested a public statement to that effect be read at a future meeting.
The debate drew interest from conservation groups, including Friends of the Upper Delaware River, and prompted calls for a public forum. Some landowners amended deeds to explicitly claim riverbed rights.
By the close of 2025, the DEC opinion remained a draft guideline, and the broader question of balancing public access with private property rights along the Delaware River system remained unresolved, with potential legal challenges still looming.
An East Branch dumping dispute raised question about enforcement and water safety in our November article: Hancock: Residents Question Enforcement of Anti-Dumping Rule. In 2025, a group of East Branch homeowners said truckloads of stone-cutting byproduct deposited uphill from their homes contaminated private wells, reigniting debate over enforcement of the town of Hancock’s anti-dumping law.
Residents reported that after months of hauling, their drinking water turned “cloudy, dirty and metallic.” One homeowner said runoff after heavy rains overwhelmed household plumbing. “It was literally like mud … coming from our faucet,” the resident said. Another said, “We were worried about [it] getting in our water system.”
The material, described by residents as quarry “muck,” was traced to Johnston & Rhodes, a long-established bluestone company later acquired in March 2025 by Aden Mining & Materials Inc. Homeowners said hauling continued despite repeated complaints.
Some residents reported elevated metals in water tests taken after the dumping began, including iron and lead levels far above health-based limits. One family trenched roughly 700 feet to connect to municipal water after their well became unusable. Complaints were directed to town officials, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Department of Health, but residents said they received “no direction or help.” Supervisor Jerry Vernold and Code Enforcement Officer Josh Morgan visited the sites in September. “They’re like, ‘There’s nothing we can do here,’” a homeowner recalled.
Johnston & Rhodes President and CEO Nick Fitzgerald said the material was a marketable stone product, not waste, and that responsibility for approvals rested with landowners. “There is no part of the material that would be considered unsafe,” Fitzgerald said, adding that the company did not believe the stone caused the reported contamination.
Town Attorney Leonard E. Sienko Jr. later said soil near the municipal well at Firemen’s Field showed elevated metals but that the public water supply was not contaminated. Monitoring was increased, and coordination with DEC and DOH was ongoing. Private well complaints along Ryder Road were characterized as a civil matter outside town jurisdiction.
Residents countered that the town adopted an anti-dumping law in 1991 and faulted what they described as a lack of enforcement. “We’re just asking for the risk to stop for our kids, our soil, and everyone on the district well,” one homeowner said.
By year’s end, violation notices had been issued to Johnston & Rhodes by the DEC and the town of Hancock, ordering that a corrective action plan be submitted by Dec. 24. This is an ongoing story.
Walton approved limited ATV use on village streets in June. We reported in Walton greenlights ATV access to village streets that trustees approved a local law authorizing limited ATV access on village streets following a public hearing that drew about 110 people. The measure passed by a 4–1 vote on June 23, after debate over safety, enforcement, and economic impact.
Mayor Bjorn Eilertsen said the law was intended to integrate ATVs into the village’s transportation and economic strategy. “This initiative supports both recreation and responsible transportation,” he said, citing tourism and small-business benefits.
Public comment reflected a split community. Supporters, including business owners and property holders developing trail systems, argued the law would keep visitors and spending local. Opponents raised concerns about safety, identification, registration, and enforcement. Eilertsen said the village was aligning with state rules and guidance from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, noting that ATVs require liability insurance and that New York honors valid out-of-state registrations. Trustee Eric Northrup explained that state vehicle and traffic law allows local governments to designate specific routes for ATVs when they are the only feasible connection to trails. The law limited riding to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., capped speeds at 25 mph, required safety equipment and insurance, and set escalating fines for violations.
By year’s end, Walton had joined a growing number of rural communities testing limited ATV access while leaving broader registration and enforcement questions to the state.
In June 2025, the Andes town council abandoned a plan to purchase and demolish a Main Street property for a municipal parking lot after public criticism over transparency and cost, as it continued to struggle with a parking and traffic complaints.
In early May, the board voted to buy 42 Main Street for $160,000, with the intention of razing the two-story house and creating a 30–35 space parking lot to relieve congestion. Residents objected after learning of the proposal, questioning why the public and advisory boards had not been notified earlier and raising concerns about environmental risks and the loss of taxable property. The purchase had been contingent on confirming the absence of environmental hazards, and the board had sought additional time to assess demolition and construction costs.
Andes Supervisor Wayland “Bud” Gladstone defended the board’s approach, saying officials chose to disclose the proposal early rather than proceed quietly. “The board didn’t have to bring that transaction ahead that quick,” he said, adding that the intent was transparency, not concealment.
After further discussion, the board concluded the expense could not be justified and withdrew the plan. “So we stepped back,” Gladstone said, while adding, “But if another property comes up for potential parking, you’re damn well right we’re going to look into it.”
In alignment with nationwide protests and rallies throughout the year, Delhi’s Courthouse Square became a stage for Delaware County residents to speak out against actions taken by the federal government that many saw as an infringement of rights and tyranny. Demonstrators challenged Trump policies and defend Constitutional values in our report: Delhi to D.C.: No to Tyranny, where hundreds of people gathered in June with flags, posters and calls for compassion and checks and balances in all branches of government.
In October, approximately 750 people gathered for another rally to protest creeping authoritarianism and to demand, as one speaker put it, “a future where no one is left behind.” It was one of thousands held nationwide under the banner of the 50501 Movement - short for “50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement.” - a decentralized coalition that says it upholds nonviolence and constitutional rule of law, and seeks to counter “executive overreach.”
Judith Maguire, a co-facilitator of the rally said, “Antifa is not a group but an ideology, an ideology that rejects hate and refuses to scapegoat others. Who else here has family who fought to stop the spread of fear, injustice?” She cast the crowd as “the real patriots that are defending democracy,” adding, “Today, we say no to a power grab that ignores the most basic tenets of our Constitution… We say no to tyranny from a wannabe King. We tell Congress: take back the powers that belong to you.”
Another type of protest arose in November on the steps of the county office building in Delhi, when residents led a tape-over-mouth demonstration ahead of a supervisors’ meeting, after the legislative committee shelved a public comment request in executive session.
In our report: Silenced at the Mic, Loud on the Sidewalk: Protesters Press Supervisors to Allow Public Comment, demonstrators stood with tape over their mouths and signs reading “Let Us Speak,” expressing frustration after the county’s decision.
Delaware County Democratic Committee Chairperson Kathleen Hayek said the board “value[s] their own time and their own procedures way more than they value what the public - the people who put them into office — has to say,” calling the issue “nonpartisan” and “just common sense.” Organizers also launched a social media campaign and said they planned to extend the effort into the 2026 election cycle.
The protest followed an Oct. 22 meeting in which Delhi Supervisor Maya Boukai sought to open discussion on public comment and sales tax sharing but was rebuffed by Board Chairperson Tina Molé, who directed the matter back to committee. Boukai said public comment requests had “stalled in committee” for two years and later argued that the lack of communication itself was “the problem that the public has with [board of supervisors] communication.”
Residents said the committee process functioned as a barrier. Hayek said, in a follow-up interview, Allen Hinkley, chairperson of the Legislative Committee, said the rejection reflected longstanding policy and logistical concerns, noting that open comment “can take a lot more time” and is difficult to manage without committee vetting. Supervisors reiterated that residents should bring concerns through their town representatives.
Village officials in Walton weighed whether to pay $100,000 for a drainage easement tied to longstanding flooding on Cherry Street, a proposal that raised legal and financial questions and was ultimately tabled for further review, in our reporting: Walton: A $100,000 Question.
Mayor Bjorn Eilertsen briefed trustees in October on a request from James Phraner of Empire Metal Works for payment to formalize access to a culvert and ditch carrying stormwater across land formerly owned by his company and later sold to Delaware Valley Hospital. Trustee Eric Northrup said the intent was to replace a “handshake deal” with a written agreement, but acknowledged the proposed price tag was $100,000.
Village Clerk Jody Brown countered that the hospital already held an easement. “It’s in their deed. So why would we be paying again for the same thing?” she said, citing deed language granting DVH permanent rights for access, construction and maintenance.
Trustee Richard “Dick” Doig outlined options under state law, including prescriptive rights or compelling an easement, adding, “It sounds to me like he’s trying to sell us a bridge.” Trustee Beth O’Brien urged caution. “I’m not going to make a decision on anything, because I want to check in further into this,” she said, calling for deed reviews and legal guidance. Trustees also said they would explore whether eminent domain was an option.
The issue mattered because Cherry Street flooding had sent stormwater into sanitary sewers during heavy rains, then left standing water afterward, after Empire Metal Works began earthwork in advance of planned expansion. Trustees ultimately tabled the matter.
Hamden marked its 200th anniversary in July with a well-attended bicentennial celebration highlighted by a community parade and vintage baseball games. We reported on the event in Celebrating two centuries in style: Hamden Bicentennial celebration.
The parade, held July 12, featured marchers representing both Hamden’s history and present day. Alice Merrill Blackman, a 100-year-old resident, served as grand marshal and rode alongside Supervisor Wayne Marshfield. The Philadelphia Mummers marched with a small band and later performed at Covered Bridge Park.
Margaretville also celebrated a birthday - its 150th.
The Delaware County Fair and dairy ambassadors participated under the parade’s “Legend Dairy” theme, while tractors of various eras added to the nostalgic tone. Vintage “base ball” players also joined the parade before heading to Crawford Field on Launt Hollow Road for games played under 19th-century rules, including no gloves and modified fly-ball outs.
Behind a village order to vacate the Hobart Inn, people said they’re terrified of losing the only housing they can find - even if it’s unsafe. In our article: The Fire Trap at the Center of Town in December, we reported on a variety of code violations that left numerous Hobart residents searching for new living accommodations.
State and local regulators continued to scrutinize New York Safety Track in Harpersfield in 2024 and 2025, after residents alleged the facility operated beyond its permits despite repeated denials and violations.
Residents said the track continued to expand and operate outside approvals from the town planning board and state agencies, advertising a new paved mini-track and hosting overnight camping, as reported in our article Harpersfield: Race track continues operation/construction without permit. Concern focused less on noise and traffic than on environmental risk and enforcement. The track’s original 2012 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan was tied to a limited approval to host up to 25 motorcycles, yet the facility later added cars, campers, a new staging area and a 0.7-mile mini-track that had been denied by the planning board. He raised concerns about runoff from gasoline, oil and other hazardous materials and questioned oversight.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the original SWPPP had been terminated after construction ended and that a later mini-track project lacked required review. DEC staff said the owner submitted a notice of intent for a SPDES permit in September 2022, but construction was halted that December pending a State Environmental Quality Review Act review. DEC later determined construction resumed without authorization, issuing notices of violation in November 2023 and January 2025. The agency said it was considering enforcement action to bring the project into compliance. The New York State Department of Health also cited the track in 2024 for multiple open violations, including operating an unpermitted campground, using an unapproved water system and holding food service events without authorization. State inspection reports ordered a “Do Not Drink” notice for the water supply and identified additional hazards during inspections. A follow-up inspection in October 2024 was denied access by site staff, according to DOH correspondence.
Town officials said their denial of the expansion remained in effect. Lisa Driscoll, Harpersfield supervisor, said, “The planning board’s determination remains in full force and effect,” adding that the town expected compliance with all state and local laws.
In our report Moments Matter: Margaretville Hospital Breaks Ground on New Helipad, Cuts Lifesaving Transport Time, we reported after five years of fundraising and planning, Margaretville Hospital broke ground Oct. 6 on a new on-site helipad, a project hospital and regional health leaders said would significantly reduce transport times for critically ill patients and improve outcomes in emergencies.
