HORTONVILLE — A new highway facility, town water system and wastewater treatment plant are just some of the large-scale projects that the Town of Delaware is currently undertaking.

At the board meeting on Wednesday night steps were taken to move those projects forward, including applying for grants to help fund the costs.

The town board voted in favor of applying for a consolidated funding application (CFA) grant through the Climate Smart Communities Program for the new highway facility.

“The highway department got a grant for $500,000 approximately. We're looking for more grants,” Supervisor Ed Sykes stated.

The town board also voted in support of a Sullivan County CFA grant application to purchase the Upper Delaware Campground.

The plan is for the county to purchase around 40 acres and sell around four acres to the town for use of a new sewer plant (a high spot located near the cemetery).

Sykes said the land will be used for a public access site to the Delaware River. It will also have restrooms and the county will take over maintenance.

“The county is looking for some agreement that we'll pay $121,000 if they get this grant and put this deal together. There's a possibility if they don't get the grant they may still go forward with it,” Sykes said.

He also gave an update on another grant for the water system. He said it's a $4.2 million project and they received a grant for $2.9 million.

“In addition to the grant we were going to finance $1.2 million of a zero interest loan. We received a $543,000 grant, which would have offset the amount we had to pay back. That was a mistake on their part,” Sykes said.

Town Clerk Tess McBeath said the two grants together can't be more than 60 percent of the entire project cost.

The board also voted in favor of an agreement with the Sullivan County Department of Planning for a Plans and Progress Grant for Callicoon PorchFest. The amount is $3,500 and it's for lights and a sound system. Councilman Alfred Steppich voted against it.

No beer truck for PorchFest?

In other news, Western Hotel owner Irene Nickolai came before the board to ask for permission to have a craft beer truck in the town park during PorchFest. She said it would sell local beer as well as water and iced tea and be run by PorchFest volunteers. It would be open on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

The board voted against it, saying it would be a liability to the town because it's on town property.

“The town shouldn't have anything to do with selling alcoholic beverages,” Sykes said.

However, other town events held in the past had a beer truck in the park. But Sykes said the town board didn't know about it.

Nickolai said the park will have vendors selling locally-made products.

“We're not promoting parties,” she said. “This is going to be local vendors selling honey, jams and locally made jewelry. [Visitors] are going to bring families; we're going to have kid's activities, face painting, alpacas possibly. All of the six years that we've had events we never had an issue with beer.”

Town Attorney Ken Klein said he's been advising the town since 1995 and he can never remember the board authorizing the sale of alcohol in the park.

“It's one thing to allow all those other activities to go on, but the sale of alcohol on town property is a bad idea,” he said.

Nickolai also mentioned that the town's restaurants and bars are going to be overcrowded and the beer truck would help alleviate that.

“We're understaffed, we as business owners are already cooking, bar tending and waitressing because there is not enough qualified staff in Sullivan County to give us the support that we need,” she said. “We are afraid that on this day in particular we're going to be overwhelmed.”

PorchFest will be held the weekend of the Woodstock 50th anniversary on August 16 though 18. Organizers are planning for live music held throughout town in different venues, as well as arts performances.