sullivan county business edge fall 2014

On October 9, at the Sulli-van in Rock Hill, The Part-

nership for Economic Develop-ment will hold its annual meetingand celebration. This year marksthe twentieth year the organiza-tion has been providing businessand technical assistance servicesto Sullivan County’s private andpublic sector. The road traveledhas not been easy as limited localresources, lack of infrastructure,location and other issues, haveseverely challenged SullivanCounty to compete with otherareas featuring those very assets.Yet there have been successes inspite of the difficulties. Firms likeKohl’s Distribution, Nonni’s, IdealSnacks, Crystal Run Health Care,Home Depot, D.C. Welding, ASBGreenworld, Prohibition Distilleryand others were projects facilitat-ed by the organization that haveinvested in Sullivan County, cre-ated jobs and helped curtail thepressures of a shrinking localeconomy. The Partnership hasfocused on small business as wellwith most countywide MainStreets featuring at least onesmall business assisted by theorganization. The Partnershipcontinues to be the ‘go to’ placefor economic development assis-tance.

HISTORYThe Partnership for Economic

Development in Sullivan Countywas incorporated in 1994 as a501 C (6) organization. As thename implies, a private, publicpartnership was derived from acritical need to proactively pur-sue and respond to businessesinterested in locating to, expand-ing within, or starting up in Sulli-van County at the speed of themarket place. In addition, theorganization was needed to pro-tect the proprietary and strategicwork product of prospective

businesses, which was typicallydisclosed prior to making formalapplication and worked to dis-suade potential businesses fromlocating or expanding in SullivanCounty. The ‘partnership’ modelhad proven to be successfulthroughout the country and local-ly in neighboring Orange County.In fact, the Sullivan County Part-nership was modeled after thatentity. Today this structure hasproven to be one of the best,organizationally, with partner-ships and private economicdevelopment organizations out-performing public and 501 C3models consistently over time.

At the request of the businesscommunity, and residents atlarge, the County, the SullivanCounty IDA and the businesscommunity agreed to putresources together, driven prima-rily by the private sector to effi-ciently and effectively carry outthe economic development func-tion in Sullivan County. Funds forthe new corporation would be

raised through memberships, andmatched by both the County, andthe Sullivan County IDA throughservices agreements, in order toraise the necessary capital tocarry out the function. At theheart of the mission of the Part-nership was the facilitation ofinvestment, jobs and tax ratablesto our municipalities and theCounty. Since its inception, thePartnership has achieved extraor-dinary results given the difficultyof the task in our region.

CURRENT STATUSThe Sullivan County Partner-

ship today stands proud of whatit has achieved in its twenty yearhistory as evidenced by the valueof its work product.

What is clearly evident is thatthe return on the investment toSullivan County is most favor-able. The total annual taxes col-lected for Partnership assistedprojects that also received incen-tives in 2014 is more than $2.6million. The County portion of

that equals just over $503,000 thisyear with respective school dis-tricts and local taxing jurisdictionsreceiving the bulk of the generat-ed tax revenues. What is mosttelling is that these tax revenuescontinue to grow each year asmore projects are completed.Moreover, approximately another$2.4 million, and $500,000 addi-tional county tax dollars are col-lected that either did not receiveany incentives or are beyondincentive program maturitydates.. These are not passive rev-enues determined by statisticalreports or economic multipliers.Rather, they are guaranteed tangi-ble revenues paid, and growingeach year as pilot incentives con-tinue to wane relative to proximi-ty to maturity dates. In addition,over 1,311 current jobs generat-ing an annual payroll of over $40million works to further under-score the value of investing inthe Sullivan County Partnership.While Sullivan County lost jobsyear to year from 2013 to 2014,Partnership assisted projectsincreased jobs by 111. While thisnumber may appear to be smallrelatively, clearly a net positive inour current economic environ-ment shows the formula is work-ing, despite the challenges.

This past fiscal year three sig-nificant Partnership facilitatedprojects have materialized thatwill make an extraordinary posi-tive impact on our economy. Thefirst, Veria Lifestyle at the formerKutcher’s Resort is proposing aCanyon Ranch-Style spa resortslated for over $85 million ininvestment. A boutique hotel willbe built and scheduled to openin 2015 featuring 75 rooms and asportsman’s club, with the bulkof the development taking placethereafter. By any measure thisproject is an extraordinary eco-nomic development project that

unfortunately gets lost in all ofthe casino discussions we arehaving at this time. The second,Lost Lake, a gated communitywith over 2,500 approved lotsand various community spaceshas already begun to securecommitments with over 40 lots inprocess currently. This predomi-nantly second home communityis a win-win for the Town ofForestburgh and the County asthere will be virtually no negativeimpact on cost of services andthe local school system. In addi-tion the residential construction

President’s Messagepage 2

Partnership names newboard memberspage 3

Catskill Hudson opens new branchpage 5

Engineering on the front linespage 6

Catskill Brewery up and runningpage 10

Proud to be Sullivanpage 12

Eminence Road continues to growpage 14

Business group meets in librarypage 17

Albella’s unveils new barpage 18

F A L L 2 0 1 4

Legislature Chairman Scott Samuelson, left, talks with Partnership Presi-dent and CEO Marc Baez at last year’s Annual Dinner.

SC Partnership Celebrates Twenty!

continued on page 4

INSIDE:

Deal. Makers. The professionals at

BILLIG, LOUGHLIN & BAER possess over 25 years of legal experience and business

knowledge perfectly suited to advocate your position

in the court room, conference room, board room, or

municipal meeting room. Results oriented and focused on

achieving your goals.

CORPORATE LAW • REAL ESTATE/LAND USE

DEBT RECOVERY • ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

INSURANCE DEFENSE

PRODUCTS LIABILITY CLAIMS MANAGEMENT

CRIMINAL • ACCIDENT & PERSONAL INJURY

FREE CONSULTATION 845.794.3833 or 201.804.0600

www.BLBlaw.com461 Broadway • Monticello, NY 12701

B I L L I G L O U G H L I N & B A E R , L L P

A Multi-Practice Law Firm in Sullivan County.

O U G L &

B

2046

7

To the People:The final stretch on the decision as to

where casinos will be approved is upon usand the Sullivan County EconomicDevelopment team has taken an all hands ondeck approach. From the Legislature, to theIDA, the Visitors Association, to thePartnership, and the Chamber of Commercethrough to private businesses, we are carryingthe message to the Casino Siting Board that anexus (in our case two) of Casino approvalsin Sullivan County at the former ConcordHotel site makes business sense, politicalsense, and common sense for New YorkState. The sum of the jobs, investment andancillary development associated with aMontreign and Mohegan Sun Casino ResortDevelopment is larger than any project pro-posed in any other area of New York. In con-trast an award to an Orange County facilitywill significantly negatively affect investmentin a Sullivan County project and could ulti-

mately be the end of one or both. OurAssemblywoman Aileen Gunther, ourSenator John Bonacic, Chairman SenateRacing, Gaming & Wagering Committee andAssemblyman Gary Pretlow, AssemblyChairman of the Racing and WageringCommittee, have put forth strong public state-ments underscoring that the intent of theUpstate New York Gaming EconomicDevelopment Act is to revitalize the UpstateCatskills economy. We will be articulatinghow the impact of wages derived from casinoprojects here will more positively affectUpstate New York than Casinos located inother areas. We will underscore the needbased on a comprehensive summary of indi-cators, like unemployment, healthcare statis-tics, vacancy rates, lack of a tax base and oth-ers that prove we need it most. It’s all handson deck and we ask for two.

As part of our strategic priorities thePartnership working closely with the IDA and

The County Division ofPlanning will be embarkingon the development of“Shovel Ready” sites. Whathappens with the casinodecision, good or bad onlymakes this effort more criti-cal as we must compete forprojects utilizing a ‘Speed to

Market’ approach to overcome deficiencies inother areas. This is no easy task. It willrequire cooperation from private land owners,municipalities, school districts and others tohelp move this process forward. Already, thePartnership and County have conducted a firstphase identification of suitable sites which wewill review to establish a short list targets thatmeet a basic set of criterion we know themarket place demands. We must positionourselves to either be ready for what ancillarybusinesses are derived from casino success orother projects looking to be situated in theNortheast. Jobs, ratables, and our economicfuture depend on it.

Finally, this year marks the twentieth yearthe Partnership has been in existence. There

have many, many challenges with some suc-cesses too. It is very difficult to keep anorganization going, adhering to its mission,and moving forward, specifically in our area.Fortunately, we have had extraordinary mem-bers who have supported the Partnershipfrom inception up to today. They have hadtheir own challenges. They too have sufferedthrough the tech bubble, September 11, thehousing crisis and other challenges, yet havecontinued to believe in our mission and sup-ported the Partnership with unwavering alle-giance throughout these twenty years. OnOctober 9, at 5:30 at the Sullivan in Rock Hill,we will be honoring over 30 of our partnersduring our annual meeting and celebrationevent. We encourage you to attend and honorthose who continue to volunteer and invest inour Sullivan County. Contact the Partnershipoffices at 794-1110 to make a reservation.

Sincerely,

Marc BaezPresident, Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

CEO/President Marc Baez

Casinos, Sites and Other Matters…..

Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development

198 Bridgeville Road • lMonticello, NY 12701845-794-1110 • Fax 845-794-2324

Call for location of our mobile officeor visit www.catskills.com

PO Box 405 • Mongaup Valley, NY 12762845-791-4200 • Fax 845-791-4220

One Cablevision CenterFerndale, NY 12734

845-295-2603 • Fax 845-295-2604

Sullivan County Visitor’s Association 100 Sullivan Ave. • Ferndale, NY 12734

845-747-4449 • Fax 845-747-4468www.scva.net

2E BUSINESS EDGE SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT SEPTEMBER, 2014

Published by Catskill Delaware Publications, Inc.Publisher: Fred Stabbert III

Advertising Director Liz Tucker Marketing Director Laura Stabbert Designer Rosalie MyckaAdvertising Representatives Cecile Lamy, Barbara Matos

Advertising Coordinator Sandy Schraeder Production Associates Tracy Swendsen, Ruth Huggler, Elizabeth Finnegan, Petra Duffy, Nyssa Calkin

Business Manager Sue Owens, Joanna Blanchard, Patricia Beidinger Distribution Bill Holmes

P.O.Box 308, Callicoon, NY, 12723 l 845-887-5200

Partnership names 11 new board membersI nvestors of the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development recently voted in 11 new

members to the organization’s Board of Directors during the Partnership’s recent ballot process.Those new members of the Board of Directors include:

SEPTEMBER, 2014 SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT BUSINESS EDGE 3E

15595

The Sullivan County Partnership

for Economic Development is funded

primarily by private business with

matched funding from the Sullivan

County Legislature and the Sullivan

County Industrial Development

Agency. The Partnership, by design,

takes the position of its investors when

assisting those prospects looking to

invest or expand in Sullivan County.

Private investors make up nearly

100 percent of the governing body of

the organization, and work through

a board of directors, executive

committee, and a dedicated

professional staff. For more

information visit scpartnership.com

or call 794-1110.

• John Conway,Director of Development, The Center

for Discovery

• Matt Dorcas, ND Pro Media, Inc.

• Eric Egeland,Capacity Business Consulting

• Darlene Fedun,CEO, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

• Glenn Gidaly,Barton & Loguidice

• Karin Hilgersom,President, SUNY Sullivan

• Lewis Klugman,

Klugman Associates

• Jeff Siegel, Spencer Daniels Agency

• Gary Silver,Stoloff & Silver, LLP

• Richard Sush,Town of Thompson councilman

• Glenn Sutherland,CEO, Catskill Hudson Bank

“These additions to our Board of Directors representthe best and the brightest of the Sullivan County business community,” said Partnership President MarcBaez. “We’re confident that with their input and thoughtful leadership, we should make great strides inmaking Sullivan County’s economic development futurea bright one.”

The new board members will be officially sworn in atthe 20th Annual Meeting to be held on Thursday, October 9 at The Sullivan in Rock Hill.

For more details or to sponsor the upcoming annualmeeting, contact Michele Klugman at 794-1110 [email protected].

industry as well as sales tax on materialswill be two areas that will be significantlypositively impacted. The third is quite obvi-ous, with the Partnership taking on a criti-cal and key role in the casino effort sincelate last summer. From traveling all overthe state debating the benefits of casinos inSullivan County, to becoming an activemember of the Citizens for NYS Gamingand coordinating the comparative analysisstudy, the Partnership has represented andworked on multiple fronts making the eco-nomic development case for casinos inSullivan County. As the vote is eminent thePartnership, continues to work with theCounty, the IDA and our other economicdevelopment stakeholders to help ensurewe are successful.

SMALL BUSINESS SERVICESThe Partnership has assisted small busi-

nesses in most every district utilizing theSullivan Investments Revolving Loan Fundas well as the Incubator Without WallsRevolving Loan Fund. It routinely assistssmall businesses, providing technical assis-tance, financing, site location and otherrelated services. It partners with the SCIDA, SC Chamber, SC Planning, SBDC,SCORE, NYSEG, where applicable, to betterassist prospects. The Partnership is the‘One Stop Center’ for economic develop-ment assistance in Sullivan County. Thechart below represents small businesses

assisted totaling approximately $1 million infinancing and countless hours of technicalassistance. Listed in green are the projectswe closed on thus far in fiscal 2014. Thisrepresents approximately $200,000 in loanproceeds which will help catalyze over $1.3million in gross sales cumulatively for theseprojects this year.

ADDITIONAL SERVICESThe Sullivan County Partnership provides

additional services relative market research,market indices, targeted analysis, such ascost of services studies and other requestsas a matter of routine. The Partnershipassists private businesses, public entities,nonprofits and the general public withinquiries specific to economic developmentissues. Where applicable the Partnershipworks closely with the Chamber, theVisitors Association and other local busi-ness support groups to further the interestin attracting investment in Sullivan County.The following are key business seminarsand targeted business events that thePartnership spearheaded and/or partneredwith associated stakeholders:

The 1st Annual SEQRA Conference – this event held inJanuary of this year attracted 220 attendees that earned continuingeducation credits, and local certifications for municipal planning/zon-ing board officials. The Partnership will be coordinating with theSullivan County Division of Planning to continue this conference for asecond year conference.

Preparing Students for Future Workforce Demands – thePartnership and the Center for Workforce Development teamed up torecruit Dr. Bill Dagget a renowned education specialist to speak to

local educators regarding this topic relative to the needs of the busi-ness community. Over 65 educators attended this morning presenta-tion with a dedicated group later following up and attending a week-long conference this past June with the International Center forLeadership in Education. The event was a success as a group of ourlocal educators have continued working with ICLE in furtherance ofthis objective.

Small Business Preservation Seminar – a small business suc-cession planning breakfast was held to educate attendees about howto appropriately address succession planning in small to mediumsized businesses. From adequate insurance coverage to long termfinancial planning, a menu of topics was covered to better prepareour small entrepreneurs for the continuation of their respective busi-ness ventures.

CFA Workshop – the Partnership coordinated the CFA workshopwith the assistance of the Division of Planning and Barton &Loguidice Engineering. The workshop reviewed the process and thetypes of projects that could get funded through this year’s round.More importantly it began to prepare attendees to think about work-ing on projects for the next round of grants.

Sullivan United Business to Business Mixer – The Partnershipcoordinated the 1st Annual Sullivan United Mixer, bringing togetherthe SCVA, Chamber, IDA and highlighting projects that bring out thebest of what Sullivan County is doing in economic development. Over150 people attended the event with tremendous feedback as busi-nesses networked and discovered opportunities to work together withother businesses they may not have associated with before the event.As a business to business event this effort was successful and it willbe repeated now annually.

TWENTY MOREAs the Partnership celebrates its twentieth

year it continues to face long term chal-lenges that make attracting and developingbusinesses difficult in the region. Yet a coregroup of dedicated members and partners

have providing unwavering support for allof those twenty years. They believe in themission of the organization and clearlyunderstand, that this partnership is criticalto us all and will help foster new andexpanded opportunities for Sullivan Countybusinesses for years to come. ThePartnership will be honoring these lifetimemembers at its annual meeting and celebra-tion on October 9, 5:30PM at the Sullivanin Rock Hill. For more information, or tomake a reservation contact the Partnershipoffices at 794-1110.


19806

Kristt Company featuringKyocera TASKalfa &Ecosys color

845-794-6639Ask for Les or Gene

1404

9

continued from front page

ADM InteriorDeitchman (Sneaker World)Munson Diner49 Main StreetThe Fire PitMiss Monticello DinerBethel LivestockFirbrook FliesNatureB. TeavoneThe Old GristmillPremier Care PTCarmines Meat MarketHoliday Mountain SkiSarah’s GourmetCatskill Laser TagJBSR (Vino)Spencer DanielsCatskill Mountain PhotoKing’s CateringSullivan First RecyclingCatskill Oral SurgeryLiberty Fitness CenterNature

Catskill OutdoorsLocascio’s Gourmet FoodsBergogne et FillesCurves MonticelloMain Street CaféWoodridge Segway ToursDancing Cat DistilleryMorgan OutdoorsMonticello Meat MarketVerde & Co.The Old GristmillWill Hugh Farms

(2014)Apple’s Small EngineFat BoizAdvanced Energy SolutionsHoliday Mountain Ski & FunParkEureka CaféBrandenburg BakeryThe Cyber CafeProhibition DistilleryTonjes CheeseYanni’s

Small Bussiness Assistance Program Recipients


Investment AdvisorsCreating and Preserving Wealth

Philip Coombe III, CFP®

Catherine Bender, CFP®

Lynn McDonald

Office locations:Main Office:

P.O. Box 333 / 6872 Route 209

Wawarsing, NY 12489

548 Broadway

Monticello, NY 12701

Call for appointment

Phone (845) 647-4800 • (800) 4 COOMBE

www.coombebender.com

Email: [email protected] 11232

5.062"; 5.25"; 1; -; Display Ad; Black plus one; Server Files:Pre 1Display PDFs:15044.pdf; 532; No; No; No; Harris-Monti &Mclaughlin, Inc

2107

7

S944cJDP Not all companies are licensed or operate in all states. Not all products are offered in all states. Go to erieinsurance.com for company licensure and territory information. *Savings vary by state and policyholder.

Erie Insurance received the highest numerical score in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2013 Insurance Shopping StudySM. Study based on 16,171 total responses, ranking 24 providers and measuring the opinions of consumers shopping for a new auto insurance policy. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of members surveyed January and February 2012. Your experiences may vary. jdpower.com

“Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance

Purchase Experience”

845-794-7050

Get the Most for Your MoneyService. Value. Trust.

We deliver that—and then some. Savings up to 30%* when you place your home, auto and life coverage with us. Benefits like first accident forgiveness and the expert advice of a trusted agent.

Kirkland HarrisHarris Monti & M

242 East Broadway Monticello, NY 12701-8818Fax: 845-794-7108

845-794-7050

& Mc Laughlin Inc

1504

4

Catskill Hudson Bank officially opened its newest branch office last week at 279 Main Street,Grahamsville with a ribbon cutting. The full service branch is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday and from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday. The Branch Manager is Cheryl Christianand she can be reached at 845-985-3055. Taking part in last Wednesday’s ribbon cutting were,front row, from the left: Catskill Hudson Branch Administrator Maryann Popek, Bank Presidentand CEO Glenn Sutherland, Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Guy Baker, Bank Executive VicePresident and CFO Rick Dulay and Bank Board Member Gary Schmidt. Back row, from the left,are board members Jonathan Farrow, Robert Green, Jan VanEtten and Barbara Garigliano.

Catskill Hudson opens new branch in Grahamsville

Contributed Photo

By Fred Stabbert III

O ften overlooked – but never for-gotten – engineers play a very

important and necessary role in theeconomic development picture.

From advisors, to hands-on supervi-sors of a project, engineers are usuallyat the forefront of any new construc-tion, remodeling or municipal projectin Sullivan County.

“We are usually on the front lines ofthe economic development world,”Glenn L. Smith, a consulting engineerin Monticello who has been practicingsince 1982, said. “We are usually thefirst ones to learn about new projectsand we can tell our clients if theirplans fit the zoning for the townwhere they want to build.”

Smith said his company, Glenn L.Smith, P.E. is busier now than ever. Hecredits much of that to new businesseswanting to relocate to the area as well

as a shortage of engineers.“I have more business now than I’ve

had in 32 years,” Smith said. “Andthere were more engineers in Sullivanwhen I started than today. No newguys are coming into the county.”

One of the companies which steppedup to help fill the engineering void isBarton and Loguidice of Syracuse.

Locally, Barton and Loguidice hasplanner Glenn Gidaly who handlesseveral of their projects currentlyunderway in Sullivan County.

“An engineering firm’s biggest goal isasset management,” Gidaly said.“Today, many municipalities haveaging infrastructure which needs to be

Contributed PhotoMonticello Engineer Glenn L. Smith reviewsplans for a project he is currently working on.Smith said new projects have kept his officevery busy, the busiest he’s been in 32 years.

Continued on 9E

WE OFFER COMPLETE

INSURANCE PROGRAMS

1333167 East Broadway, Monticello, NY

Merrell Bencowww.mbagency.com

796-1500

Lawrence Miller associateswww.lbmillerinsurance.com

292-2100

Business Coverage

• Liability, Fire, Crime, Marine

• Worker’s Compensation

• Package Policies

• Business Automobile

• Boats

• Automobile

• Homeowners

• Umbrella Policy

• Valuable Property

Personal Coverage


Engineering an importantof economic development

part


Serving

Sullivan

County

• Yankee Candles • Greeting Cards • Mylar Balloons• DaVinci Jewelry • Handbags • New Arrivals• Wild Berry Incense • Gund Stuffed Animals• Beauty and Health Supplies • NYS Lottery Agent• Count on Us for All Your Prescription Needs• 90-Day Supply of Selected Generics for $11.99

524 Broadway, Monticello, NY • 794-2345

FREE LOCAL DELIVERY

An Amazing Selection of Unique GiftsAnd Sweet Shop U.S.A. Handmade Truffles

Can Be Customized for Any Occasion

15776

5.062"; 2.5"; 1; -; Display Ad; Black; Server Files:Pre 1 DisplayPDFs:15534.pdf; 532; No; No; No; Garigliano Law Offices LIP

1260520

814

1900

0

SmallsPlumbing, Heating, and AC

ProfessionalPlumbing Systems

11047

Specializing in all phases of service & installation . . . plumbing,radiant heating, hot water/hot air heating, hydro air, air-conditioning

• AC Ductless Split Units • Water Treatment Systems • Geothermal SystemsCALL TODAY FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE NEEDS

Certified & Factory Trained Professionals in the Latest Technologies“NO JOB’S TOO BIG FOR SMALLS”

FULLY INSURED- New Location: 876 Old Rt. 17, Harris -

845-794-7780

ServingSullivan County

Since1953

From Creative Concept To Printed PieceCreative Design FFlyers BookletsTypesetting Promotional Packages MenusMarketing Services Post Cards TicketsCatalogs Presentation Folders FormsFinancial Reports Invitations BinderyStationery Newsletters Die CuttingBusiness Cards Imprinted Sportswear FoldingBrochures Specialty Items Embossing

STEINGART ASSOCIATES, INC.5211 MAIN STREET SO. FALLSBURG, NEW YORK 12779PHONE: 845-434-4321 FAX: [email protected]

You name it, we provide it . . . from Business Cards to Four Color & Beyond—with HighQuality, Fast Turnaround, Competitive Prices & Professional Service.

STEI-116934

1553

5

1553

4

449 Broadway • P.O. Drawer 1069Monticello, NY 12701

845/796-1010Fax 845/796-1040

THE LAW OFFICES OF

Walter Garigliano &Barbara A. Garigliano

AN ECONOMIC CATALYSTFOR THE CATSKILLSMOHEGAN SUN AT THE CONCORD MEANS:

• An industry-leading Momentum Players Points Program that drives economic development and new business opportunities outward to area businesses and organizations

• A history and commitment to buying and hiring locally and creating more than 3,100 construction and 1,200 permanent jobs

• A long track record of expertise as the operator of the largest grossing gaming floor in the Western Hemisphere

• The largest and most valuable customer database in the Northeast including more than 5 million Mohegan Sun loyalty rewards program members, 550,000 of whom live within 100 miles of the proposed Concord project.

Mohegan Sun at the Concord is the best project in the right location. It’s time Sullivan County had a real chance for jobs, prosperity and economic growth!

On September 23rd please join Mohegan Sun in our effort to bring a casino to Sullivan County and have your voice heard in front of the New York Gaming Commission.

Free transportation will be provided. For additional details and to register for transportation to and from the Gaming Commission hearing please contact: Lois DiStefano | 845.798.5858 | [email protected]

September 23rd 8:00am – 8:00pm Catskills/Hudson Valley Public Comment EventThe Grandview176 Rinaldi BoulevardPoughkeepsie, New York 12601

MOHEGAN SUN AT THE CONCORD

AN ECMOHEGAN SUN A

ONOAN ECMOHEGAN SUN A

MIC CONOONCT THE CMOHEGAN SUN A

TAATMIC CORDONC

SYALLYTTA

TS

2190

3


replaced.“We help them with regulatory com-

pliance and making sure they haveadequate water and sewer available forbusinesses moving in,” Gidaly said.“The old adage is true – you have tobe able to flush.”

To that end, Barton and Loguidicewill be overseeing the Village of Monti-cello’s new $20 million energy efficientwastewater plant which will be built inthe near future, with $11.9 millioncoming in the way of grants.

Locally, long-time engineer JosephGottlieb, P.C., P.E. also reports a busyschedule.

“We do a lot of smaller projects,”Timothy Gottlieb, an engineer in thefirm, said. “A lot of ours is repair work,single family dwellings and bungalowcolonies.”Gottlieb said his firm specializes in per-sonal service and the ability to navigateprojects through the planning and zon-ing boards of local townships.

“The planning board [meetings] iswhat it is, I prepare for it,” Gottliebsaid. “When a client comes into ourfirm he or she gets to see me, that’s a

plus.”But some townships, like Fallsburg,

have had to reach outside the countyas the list of projects in the pipelinenumbers in the 40s.

“It’s all based on safety,” FallsburgCode Enforcement Officer Molly Mes-senger said. “If you don’t have theengineering right the watershed of oneproject could flood a neighboringproperty.

“You also have to think about sewerand wastewater treatment,” Messengersaid. “And we also consider the turningradius for firetrucks [responding to anemergency].”

Messenger said that she and TownEngineer Will Illing often roundtablewith the outside planning and engi-neering firms “to see what a projectneeds and how we can make the proj-ect better.”

The town employs outside plannerRobert Geneslaw.

Ken Ellsworth, president and CEO ofKeystone Associates in Binghamton, isthe outside engineering firm for theTown of Fallsburg.

“We have developed a great relation-ship with the town of Fallsburg,”Ellsworth said. “Fallsburg hired us to

do all the town’s engineering work.“They are interested in what we have

to say,” he said. With 48 employees, Keystone Associ-

ates can deal with many engineeringservices including architecture, civilengineering, mechanical, electrical,geotechnical, construction managementand asbestos and lead testing andremediation.

“We started small,” Ellsworth said.“And added services as they wereneeded.

“Fallsburg has 40 some projects in thereview process and we need boots on

the ground down there,” he said. “Ilooked at renting but they seemed highso I found a house on Park Streetwhere our staff can stay.

“I thought is was important that anycommunity we go into we try to take apart in.”

Ellsworth said his firm set up a pro-gram with the town of Fallsburg wherethey are there as needed.

And he said that his company notonly works with the town before proj-ects are built but stays in constant con-tact with builders to make sure whatwas approved gets built.

Continued from 6E

21947


Engineering Firms Doing work in Sullivan1. Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C., Ellenville

2. Clough, Harbour & Associates,Goshen

3. Delaware Engineering, PC, Albany

4. Engineering & Surveying Properties,PC, Montgomery

5. Glenn L. Smith, P.E., Consulting Engineer, Monticello

6. Joseph Gottlieb, P.E., PC,Monticello7. Kelly Engineering, Liberty

8. Keystone Associates, LLC,Binghamton

9. Lanc and Tully Engineering and Surveying, P.C., Goshen

10. McGoey, Hauser & Edsall ConsultingEngineers, P.S., New Windsor

11. Rettew Engineering and Surveying, PC, Ferndale

12. Tectonic Engineering & SurveyingConsultants, P.C., Mountainville

13. Wasson Engineering, Wurtsboro

Story and photos by Ed Townsend

E nvironmental advocacy andbringing a new exciting business

that will survive and increase tourismand recognition for Livingston Manorand the region is what the new CatskillBrewery is all about.

The dreams and efforts of dedicatedbusinessmen and Brewery partnersRamsay Adams, Randy Lewis, KirtGunn and Dana Ball are providing astate-of-the-art craft brewery that islocated at 672 Old Route 17 (CountyRoute 178) no more than a half-milefrom downtown Livingston Manor.

The Brewery partners have made itvery clear that their passion for beerand the local community lead the rea-sons why they started this businessventure several years ago.

One of the Catskill Brewery logo’s ontheir beer bottles says “Honest HardWorking Beer,” and uniquely enoughthe power trio who hatched the ideafor this type of craft brewery came as aresult of drinking a beer during aspring barbecue.

Ramsey Adams, who also serves asthe founder and executive director ofCatskill Mountainkeeper, an environ-mental advocacy organization, whenreferencing how this all started, noted,

“We were talking about how incrediblethe Town of Rockland and the CatskillPark are, and we realized we need abrewery here.”

The Brewery partners possess diverseskills which allowed them to pursuetheir concept. Adams has his communi-ty activism, Lewis is President ofGlobal Natural Food, Gunn is a brand-ing advertising executive and Ball hasyears of experience in the beer indus-try.

The craft brewery is growing in thiscountry and while it produces just fivepercent of the beer consumed inAmerica, the industry employs about50 percent of beer company employ-ees.

At the present time the CatskillBrewery employs two full timers andanticipates expanding to possibly eightin the first five years.

The facility presently is providing itsown distribution of their lager and aleto the region’s restaurants and bars inkegs only for sale as a tap beer.

A growler is a special container thatis traditionally used to transport draftbeer. At the Brewery location a 64 oz.and a 32 oz. growler are for sale forhome use only and growler hours arefrom 5-7 p.m. Those buying thegrowlers can return with them for

refills. The two craft beers presently being

produced by this brewery include theFloodwatch IPA India Pale Ale and theBall Lightning, a Pilsner Lager.

The brewery owners noted that theirfacility will not be a bar or brewpub.

But they do offer, in addition togrowlers, tours of the facility and giftsemblazoned with the brewery’s logo.

A key factor in any brewery is the

Brew Master and the duties he per-forms. Ben Brotman told us he was selftaught in the art of brewing and thathe originally was born and raised inthe Philadelphia area and now makeshis home in Ithaca.

Ben, accompanied by Dana Ball,whose business card lists him as a co-founder, partner and VP of sales andoperations, took us through theprocess of how this brewery makestheir beer.

The barley is first put into the maltingstage, which includes steeping, germi-nation and kilning. From there theproduct goes to the roller mill, wheremilling takes place. This includesadding water to the mash mixer, whichis then transferred to the lauter tunwhere the spent grain is eliminated.

Into the brewing stage and the brew-ing kettle the hops are added then tothe whirlpool separator and the plateheat exchanger which provides a cool-ing process. Fermentation is the nextstep and that takes place in the fer-mentation vessel in which yeast isadded.

The “green” beer is then transferredto the maturation tank then to the fil-tration unit and finally the process iscompleted by putting the beer in kegsand any bottled beer. The entire

process takes about 10 hours and the“fresh” beer is ready to drink.

The business acumen and technicalsavvy of the partners are very muchapparent in the branding power of thebuilding’s design and the strategicvision integrated into the plan for thisstate-of-the-art eco-friendly businessand all that it encompasses.

The low-impact “green” buildingincludes the thermal-bridge design,free envelope design, natural day-light-ing whereby the light in the building iscontrolled by what outside light iscoming in, stack effect ventilation, all-permeable site paving, green roofs,solar photovoltaics and solar hot watersystems, ground source pumps forheating and cooling and refrigerationand native plantings.

The Manor Brewery is presently wait-ing for LEED Platinum certificationfrom the U.S. Green Building Council.The LEED prerequisite requires build-

ing standards to meet top energyperformance.

The building size of the newmicro brewery is 5,200 squarefeet and is located on a 0.61acre site which holds parking forapproximately 20 cars. Thebrewery occupies 3,500 squarefeet of the entire structure.

The building is also the homeof Global Natural Foods, awholesale business owned byRandy Lewis, one of the Brewerypartners. Mr. Lewis wanted itemphasized that there is no retailsales in this business, which heformerly operated out of his LewBeach home and that somewherein the future his part of the build-ing will become part of the oper-ational functions of the brewery

including a bottling/canning line. Although total estimated costs of this

new business would not be disclosed, anearlier story in the Sullivan CountyDemocrat stated “that the bulk of their$950,000 investment is being privatelyfinanced,” but that the trio was “lookingto land $300,000 in grants from the state.

The business in its early stagesgained approval from the Town ofRockland Planning Board and theSullivan County Industrial DevelopmentAgency gave approval of $48,000 insales-tax breaks and $50,663 in proper-ty tax breaks.

County and town chamber of com-merce representatives give high praisefor the new brewery which is promis-ing a great brand and a high-end con-sistent product that will, in time, incor-porate local ingredients.

Employees and partners in the developmentand operation of the Catskill Brewery are,from the left, David Walton, Ben Brotman(Brew Master), Randy Lewis, Dana Ball (Co-Founder), and Ramsay Adams. The new state-of-the-art eco-friendly building is seen in thebackground.

Fermentation, maturation and filtration units put the finishing touch in the brewing process.

The Catskill Brewery logo on one of theirgrowlers (bottles).

Above: Bags of malt presently fed manually into the brewing systemwill soon be replaced by a bulk automatic system.

At right: The process used by the Catskill Brewery to brew their beeris explained in detail to visitors when they tour Sullivan County’snewest craft brewery.

The Catskill Brewery born out of passion for beer and community

SEPTEMBER, 2014 SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT BUSINESS EDGE 11E10E BUSINESS EDGE SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT SEPTEMBER, 2014

At last May’s Literary Exchange at Holiday Mountain in Bridgeville, Gavin Landry, left, executivedirector of tourism for New York State, spoke about all the great locations New York has to offervacationers, including the Sullivan County Catskills. Joining him were legislators Kitty Vetter andScott Samuelson and Sullivan County Visitors Assn. President and CEO Roberta Byron Lockwood.

Proud to Be Sullivan is a net-work of businesses, organiza-

tions and community volunteersworking together to create a senseof pride of place; and promote thebest that Sullivan County has tooffer. The program is building a net-work of volunteer champions whobelieve that Sullivan County is agreat place to live, work and visitand who will brag about it!

Proud to be Sullivan comes at acritical time in Sullivan Countywhere there has been tremendousprogress at the grassroots level tobuild community pride. This newmomentum shares the positiveaspects of our beautiful county andspreads the idea that home is whatyou make it. It urges our businessesand residents to stop, enjoy andshare their great experiences withtheir neighbors, friends and visitors.

The network is reaching out to

Sullivan County businesses andorganizations with its message andcampaign. They launched a“Choosing your Attitude” traininglast spring with vocational studentsat Sullivan BOCES. Currently train-ing is also being offered free bySUNY Sullivan as part of its com-munity learning program. TheSUNY component will be availableon campus or at individual busi-nesses. To sign up contact HillaryEgeland at 434-ext. 4377

Putting out a positive image andresponse is good for business. Staffwill be more productive andengaged, customers and guests willappreciate the effort and it willshow in their return on yourinvestment.

For more information about theprogram or to arrange a presenta-tion for your staff, please contactDenise Frangipane at 295.2443.


21838

Proud to

The Proud to be Sullivan foundingcommittee includes representationfrom: Bethel Woods Center for theArts | Fisher Mears Associates |

Happy Hudson Valley | SUNYSullivan | Young Emerging Leaders(YEL) | Rolling V Bus Corporation |ND Pro Media, Inc. | SC Chamber

of Commerce | Sullivan BOCES |SC Visitors Association | SullivanRenaissance

“Sullivan County didn’t just getgreat, it’s been great all along. Aswe work to build a stronger, moreprosperous Sullivan County we haveto recognize the value of positiveforward thinking, said Diane Riegal,SUNY Sullivan Associate Professorand Creator of Think Positive face-book page and video

Think about it … What do you LOVEabout where you live?

Check out Proud to be Sullivan onFacebook.


20515

be Sullivan

Sullivan County BOCES Director ofCommunications Donna Hemmer, left, andSullivan Renaissance Assistant DirectorDenise Frangipane, right, have done sever-al “Proud to be Sullivan” seminars to helptrain business owners and employeesabout the importance of positive thinking.

Story and photos by Dan Hust

‘G rowth” has multiple meaningsfor Jennifer Clark and Andrew

Scott.The co-proprietors of Eminence Road

Farm Winery in Long Eddy first under-stood it in the context of grapes –

specifically, the varieties that havegiven renown to the Finger Lakesregion of upstate New York.

Then came an understanding of per-sonal growth – how leaving the hub-

bub of New York City was not a stepbackwards but a leap of faith into abetter quality of life.

And now, just a few years afteropening the winery on a forgotten

slope of the Catskills, they’ve experi-enced an even rarer, satisfying form –the growth of their company.

“Our first vintage was 2008,” Jenniferremembers of a mere 200 cases. “We

Eminentlysuccessful

on Eminence

Road


12748

on

Eminence Road Farm Winery seems untouched by the passage of time, its aged red siding, whitewashed trim and tall sunflowers look-ing just as they must have back when this was a working farm.

now have over 900 cases of our2013 vintage.

“The response has been fantas-tic!”

Customers from New York Cityto the Callicoon Farmers’ Marketto as far afield as Singapore havefallen in love with the couple’snaturally-produced wines, whichare fermented without addedyeast and bottled by hand.

The originating grapes arenot organic (yet), but theFinger Lakes producersgrow them sustainably,without the use of pesti-cides or herbicides.

A small amount of sul-fites are added to thewines for stability;they’re otherwiseunfined and unfiltered.

“What we do is fun-damentally differentfrom 99 percent of theother wineries outthere,” Jennifer relates.

The growing trendtowards “natural”wines and the factthat New Yorkers liketo buy local haveboosted EminenceRoad Farm Winery’ssales – and Jenniferand Andrew’s busy-ness.

But they’re not look-ing to move closer tothe metro market.

“We love it here,” Jennifer says,surveying the rolling fields andforests that straddle theSullivan/Delaware county bor-der. “The winery was started asa way we could give up ourday jobs and stay here. Andwe’re right in between wherethe grapes are grown andwhere the wine is sold!”

For a better understand-ing, stop by for a bottleat the farmers’ marketsin Callicoon andBarryville, the Corner inEldred, NarrowsburgFine Wines, CallicoonWine Merchant,Barryville Bottle,Henning’s Local inEldred, Matthew’s onMain in Callicoon,Chestnut Cafe in LongEddy, or Hello Bistro inLivingston Manor.

Or head to www.emi-nenceroad.com, whereyou can learn more andfind out how to pay apersonal visit (callahead first: 845-887-6280).


MMccGGOO EE YY ,, �� HH AAUU SS EE RR �� aa nn dd �� EE DD SS AA LL LL ��

CC OO NN SS UU LL TT II NN GG �� EE NN GG II NN EE EE RR SS ,, �� PP .. CC .. ��3333 AAiirrppoorrtt CCeenntteerr DDrriivvee SSuuiittee 220022 �� NNeeww WWiinnddssoorr,, NNeeww YYoorrkk 1122555533 �� (845) 567-3100

111111 WWhheeaattffiieelldd DDrriivvee SSuuiittee 11 �� MMiillffoorrdd,, PPeennnnssyyllvvaanniiaa 1188333377�� (570) 296-2765

D e d i c a t e d P r o f e s s i o n a l s C o m m i t t e d T o P r o v i d i n g

Q u a l i t y E n g i n e e r i n g

CIVIL MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL STRUCTURAL

ENVIRONMENTAL MUNICIPAL

LAND PLANNING PROJECT ADMINISTRATION CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

1511

5

5.062"; 2.5"; 1; -; Display Ad; Black; Server Files:Pre 1 DisplayPDFs:15058.pdf; 532; No; No; No; Ricciani & Jose, Llp

®

AUTO • HOME • LIFE • RETIREMENT

Robert WellsAgent

Hours: Mon - Thurs 9am-6pmFri 8am-5pm • Sat 9am-1pm

Closed Sunday18 Thompson Square, Monticello, NY

[email protected]

15774

E. DANIELLE JOSE JACQUELINE RICCIANI

RICCIANI & JOSE, LLPATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW

17 ST. JOHN STREET

MONTICELLO, NEW YORK 12701(845) 791-7800

FAX (845) 791-5923

15058www.riccianijose.com

Barrels filled with CabernetSauvignon, Cabernet Franc andPinot Noir sit inside the cool interi-or of Eminence Road Farm Winery.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The winery’s highlyregarded Riesling.


20790

LINDA BARRIGERFinancial Advisor

Bridgeville Office Center196 Bridgeville Road, Monticello, NY 12701

(845) 791-6600 ■ www.barrigerandcompany.com

BARRIGER & COMPANY, INC.INVESTMENT SECURITIES

Securities and Advisory services offered through Prospera Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.

www.cooperarias.com

892 State Route 17B, P.O. Box190Mongaup Valley, NY 12762Phone: 845-796-1800 ext. 321Fax: 845-796-1826

133 Route 304Bardonia, NY 10954Phone: 845-623-0300Fax: 845-623-0350

Accounting & AuditingCorporate, Partnership, & LLC

TaxationIndividual Planning & Taxation

Estates & Trusts • Financial StatementsBusiness Valuations

Governments, Schools & Not-For-ProfitsManagement Advisory Services

Computer ConsultingQuickBooks Pro Advisors

13328

-796- rgo

“Services for the Integration and Empowerment of People with Disabilities.”

15546

16072

2107

5


Attention all parents and employers!

The Sullivan County Child Care Council, Inc.is here to solve all of your child care problems.

Visit us on the web: www.scchildcare.comor call us at: (845) 292-7166 or (877) 292-7190

1395

5

5.062"; 2.5"; 1; -; Display Ad; Black; Server Files:Pre 1 DisplayPDFs:20936.pdf; 532; No; No; No; WWW.landscapetrailers.comCorp Screen Printing

& Embroideryon premises

845-292-1467

WWWL-112202

2093

6

DO YOU HAVE DIABETES?ARE YOU ON MEDICARE?

DO YOU HAVEARTHRITISOF THE KNEES OR HIPS?

Call us for more info. 570-253-6770

If you answered yes to both questions - the cost of the shoes may be covered!

If you answered yes - part of your Liftchair may be covered!

Stourbridge Mall • Honesdale

We have many Liftchairs in stock!Come visit our showroom.

• We do all the paperwork� Custom fi t inserts� Comfortable & lightweight

� We do all the paperwork � FREE Delivery

Easy and FreeParking

1567

5

Business Plans - Plans and Profi ts, LLCEvery Business Should Have a Business Plan

CUSTOM BUSINESS PLANS

WWW.PLANSANDPROFITS.COM

WRITE-IT-YOURSELF BUSINESS PLAN CLASS ON VIDEO

WWW.BUSINESSPLANWRITINGCLASS.COM

FOR SMALL, MEDIUM, START-UPS, EXISTING, EXPANSIONS, BUY OUTS

845.343.1515 (9 AM TO 7 PM)[email protected]

2188

4

Business group meets weekly at libraryThe Western Sullivan Public Library has

formed a Business Group that meetsweekly at the Delaware Free Branch in Calli-coon from 10am to 12pm on Wednesdays to talkabout using technology to assist local businessesin managing and marketing more effectively.

Working alone can be a difficult burden forsmall business owners. Meet with like-mindedprofessionals to share ideas and explore thetechnical skills to master new tasks. The groupdetermines the topics for discussion, whichinclude branding, social media, designing cus-

tom letterhead, business cards, and marketingmaterials, web design, developing sales strate-gies, learning to create and edit photos, andmore.

The group is led by WSPL Public ComputerCenter Director Cindy Menges, who is alsomanaging director of Catskill Professional Serv-ices which specializes in marketing and man-agement consulting.

For more information, visit the library onFacebook, Twitter, or at WSPLonline.org or call887-4040.


Joseph N. GarlickFuneral Home Inc.

Exclusively Serving the Jewish CommunityJewish Owned & Independently Operated794-7474 647-7747

388 Broadway 186 Canal St.Monticello Ellenville

www.josephngarlickfuneralhome.com

13312ALBELLAALBELLAFAMILY RESTAURANT and CATERINGFAMILY RESTAURANT and CATERING

BAR NOW OPEN!HAPPY HOUR 4-6PM

DAILY DRINK SPECIALSLive Music Wed. 7-10pm

“Local Musicians”

Open for Lunch & Dinner Seven Days a Week– Reservations Suggested –

50 Jefferson St., Monticello, NY 12701ph: 845-794-8866 fax: 845-794-8085

www.AlbellaFamilyRestaurant.com

Fine Italian Cuisine featuring Chef’s Daily Specials,Fresh Seafood, Pasta, Chicken, Veal & Steaks.

22080

Story and photo by Eli Ruiz

A lbella Restaurant owners Mike andDita Hajdaraj hosted a grand open-

ing/ ribbon cutting event on Wednesday,September 10, to showcase the latest addi-tion to their eatery: a brand new, expan-sive wood-crafted bar, a refurbished din-ing area and more.

Mike Hajdaraj cooked all over the metro-politan area, but tired of the city life, heand his family made the move to SullivanCounty in 2000 to, as he said, “Not just topursue my dream of one day owning myown restaurant, but also because I wanted

to raise my family here.”In 2005, Mike and Dita realized that life-

long dream with the opening of theirAlbella Restaurant at 50 Jefferson Street inthe Village of Monticello.

“We work hard to please our customershere at Albella,” said Mike. “A happy, sat-isfied customer is a customer for life and Ithink we’ve picked up a few of those overthe years.”

“I did the bar area because I felt weneeded it... it’s a place where people cancome and unwind after work or anytime,”offered Hajdaraj. “Our customers and thecommunity here in Monticello have been

wonderful to us since we decided to openup here and it feels good to give some-thing back to our customers and the com-munity. Without them we truly wouldn’tbe here, so it’s just really nice to see aturnout like this to see what we’ve beenworking on here the last few weeks.”

Besides the bar, the Hajdarajs have mademany smaller, more subtle changes to therestaurant, like new chandeliers, softerlighting, new flooring and more; smallchanges sure to enhance an already pleas-ant dining experience.

For more information on the restaurantand its daily specials call 794-8866 or goto www.albellafamilyrestaurant.com.

Among those taking part in the Albella’s ribbonwere Juleda Hajdaraj, holding the scissor. To herright is Fiona Hajdaraj and to her left is SullivanCounty Chamber of Commerce Board ChairmanGuy Baker. Behind Juleda are her aunt and uncleand owners of the eatery, Mike and Dita Hajdaraj.The group at right includes Village of MonticelloTrustees Carmen Rue and Larissa Bennett. Behindthem are Thompson Councilmen Peter Briggs andRichard Sush. At far left is Monticello Trustee JillWeyer, and Chamber CEO Cathy Paty is thirdfrom left. Sullivan County Partnership forEconomic Development Vice President MichelleKlugman-Resnick is in the back row, standingnext to Mike Hajdaraj.

Showcasing enhancements and a new addition

BUSINESS: Family ties

aid successes. INSIDE

ELECTION CHALLENGE: Judge

dismisses Massey lawsuit. 2A

CATHY PATY: Officially named

president/CEO of Chamber. 8A

www.sc-democrat.comEARLYBIRD EDITION

Published twice-weekly

VOL. CXXIII NO. 64 2 SECTIONS | 26 PAGES | 1 INSERT

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 ONE DOLLAR

The

lifeblood of

our economy

ALL in the FAMILY

A Special Section of the

Callicoon, NY • Section F • January 28, 2014Family-owned and operated since 1891

TAKE ONE F

The gift of life for Bryce

Neversink youth, 8, gets heart transplant

BY JEANNE SAGER

NEVERSINK — The Tues-

day night when life changed

for the Rogerson family was

just like any other.

With a planned two-hour

delay for the Tri-Valley

School District the next day,

8-year-old Bryce and 5-year-

old Bryan had been given a

pass to stay up late and watch

a movie together. Sixteen-

year-old Emily was doing

what teenagers do on a

school night. Dad Brian was

on a hunting trip in Alabama,

so mom Nicole was snuggling

in bed, watching TV by her-

self. And then the phone rang.

It was a pediatric nurse

familiar with little Bryce’s

congenital heart condition.

After nearly three years on

the transplant list, there was

a heart waiting for Bryce.

“I said ‘Are you kidding

me?’ ” Nicole recalls. “I was

literally skipping up and

down the hallway!”

It was a call the Rogersons

weren’t sure would ever

come. Bryce was diagnosed

with hypoplastic left heart

syndrome (HLHS) before he

was even born, after a routine

ultrasound at 18 weeks

picked up an anomaly.

HLHS – a syndrome in which

the left side of a child's heart

was underdeveloped – is one

of the three most common

heart issues a child can be

born with, but it can be fatal

if left untreated.

To increase the Bryce’s

chances, Nicole underwent

in utero surgery at just 26

weeks pregnant to open up a

hole in his heart to allow

blood to flow properly and

help him develop in the

womb. Ten days after he was

born in February 2005, Bryce

underwent his first open

heart surgery. At 8 months, he

had another, and in October

of 2008, a third open heart

surgery.

But in 2010 came a devas-

tating diagnosis. Bryce had

developed plastic bronchitis,

a condition of the lungs most

common in cystic fibrosis

patients. Rubbery chunks of

mucus had begun develop-

ing in his lungs, making him

struggle to breathe. Although

the issue presents itself in the

lungs, doctors put the blame

on his heart, which pumps

oxygenated blood to the

lungs. By 2011, doctors told the

Rogersons their best choice

would be to put Bryce on the

transplant list – for a heart. A

new heart, they told them,

would take pressure off the

lungs and hopefully allow

them to heal themselves.

On March 25, 2011, Bryce

was added to the transplant

list with what’s known as 1B

status, the second from the

top. At the time, doctors told

the Rogersons that listing

him at 1A – the highest and

most needy status – would

require Bryce to wait in a hos-

pital for a heart to be found.

But with Bryce able to take

his medication at home, the

Rogersons opted to keep him

in Neversink, to allow him to

continue attending school

and be with his family.

They were told it would

take six months to a year to

find him a heart.

On June 25, 2013, more

than two years later, his heart

hadn’t come. The Rogersons

moved their son up to 1A sta-

tus, the top of the transplant

waiting list.

At that time, doctors had

changed their mind and said

Bryce could stay home and

wait. They told the Rogersons

it would probably be a month

or two until a heart was

found. It was almost seven months

until the call came.

That was January 14, the

night Nicole called a friend to

watch Bryan and packed her

other two kids into the car to

fly over the roads to Morgan

Stanley Children’s Hospital at

Columbia Presbyterian in

New York City. Bryce was cry-

ing, Nicole recalls, but his

biggest worry was “how am I

going to turn in my home-

work?” “I told him your teacher

isn’t going to worry about

your writing assignment.”

Husband Brian had just

arrived in Alabama for his

hunting trip and couldn’t find

a flight north, so he rented a

car in Montgomery and

drove straight through the

night to Atlanta, Georgia, for

the earliest flight to

LaGuardia, a 6 a.m. that he

hoped would get him there in

time to see his little boy

before he went into surgery.

Brian’s plane left late, but

the fates aligned – because of

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The Team Bryce logo is of the

local group of support for the

family.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Despite being born with a potentially fatal heart condition, Bryce

Rogerson has led as normal a childhood as possible. Here, he

proudly shows off a huge trout he caught.

PLEASE SEE BRYCE, 3A

Opposition to China City grows

BY GUY CHARLES HARRITON

MONTICELLO — In its

heyday, the Catskill resorts,

known as the Borscht Belt,

were a premier vacation spot

for those residing in the

northeast. Top notch acts

politicians have shown their

concern as well.

When the people of

Thompson heard about it,

they were “dumbfounded,”

according to Supervisor Bill

Rieber. The opposition was

immediate and strong he

Casino, throw of the dice

Mamakating cool to Shawanga

BY GUY CHARLES HARRITON

WURTSBORO — Gover-

nor Andrew M. Cuomo’s

plan to bring revenue to

would have amenities

such as a market selling

local produce, a food and

wine center and an out-

door performance space

Just $1.25Per Week

Just $1.25That’s all a subscription

to the Twice-WeeklySullivan County Democrat

andwww.scdemocratonline.com costs.

NOW YOU CAN KEEP UP-TO-DATEon all of Sullivan County’s News

via your newspaper, computer, cell or tablet!Just fill out this form and mail in today

to Sullivan County Democrat, PO Box 308, Callicoon, NY 12723or go to www.SCDemocratonline and click the subscribe button.

Sullivan County Subscribers� 1 Year - 104 issues plus online access - Only $64 GREAT BARGAIN! Save $40 off the newsstand price

� 6 Months - 52 issues plus online access - Only $36 WHAT A DEAL! Save $16 off the newsstand price

Out of Sullivan County Subscribers� 1 Year - 104 issues plus online access - Only $69 GREAT BARGAIN! Save $35 off the newsstand price

� 6 Months - 52 issues plus online access - Only $42 WHAT A DEAL! Save $10 off the newsstand price

Name _______________________________ Address____________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip ___________________________________________ Phone Number___________________________________

Credit Card No. ______________________________________________________ Exp. Date ___________________________

Signature ________________________________________________ Security Code___________________________________



Loans for Rural Properties or Extra Acreage

Yearning for the country, where you can raise something other than your blood pressure?

EQUAL HOUSINGOPPORTUNITY

Then you should consider a Country Living loan, tailored specifically to help you fulfill your desire for living a little closer to nature. Whether you’re considering a country home or a working farm, Country Living provides a simple, easy process that will get you on your way.

Choose from: CountryHome Loans CountryFarm Loans CountryLand Loans CountryFlex Equity Loans Construction Loans

For more information, call Sandra Pearson today or visit us online.

NMLS [email protected]

CountryLivingLoans.com

2094

3

sullivan county business edge fall 2014

Documents

sullivan county

sullivan countywas

investment tosullivan

neighboring orange county

private sector

sullivancounty ida

historythe partnership

economic development