WURTSBORO  — Town of Mamakating Highway Superintendent Thomas Morrow highlighted the fight for ongoing public safety during the winter weather the past few weeks, who said the department has been in operation in some capacity for 24 consecutive days.

“The guys have continued to step up and get the job done,” stated Morrow. “Let me just tell you, there is no overtime that can compensate for the many hours that these guys are working. They do it for more than money, they take pride in it. They do it as a serious commutative service.”

“I seriously appreciate all they do because without them, this just doesn’t happen,” he continued.

He urged travelers and residents to drive with caution during winter weather events. He also noted the importance of making sure one’s vehicle is “properly fit” for winter weather.

Of note were his concerns with people driving with poor or “flat out” bald tires and other equipment not ready for storms.

“I saw a number of [them] in this last storm, like four or five, it made me want to say something,” stated Morrow. “I remind you that getting and going in bad weather is the easy part. It’s coming to a stop that could be problematic.”

It was also noted of the recent winds that followed the last storm and the trees that were downed and that over the next couple of days we [they] will be going around town picking up some tree debris.

Town Supervisor Michael Robbins thanked the Highway Department, saying that the crews have been out a lot working on the roads.

“I know on my side I don’t get the kind of snow everybody else gets up in Wurtsboro Hills or Yankee Lake,” acknowledged Robbins. “I know they did a great job down by my house. We had a few phone calls from residents today; they were very happy the way the roads were over the weekend.”

Patriotic burial markers

The Town of Mamakating  Historian Virdanna Lawrence has been hard at work with Patriotic Burial Markers.

This is for the Chester Stanton Cemetery and it will be for the patriotic soldiers buried within the cemetery.

“I’ve been working on this for a good year and a half,” explained Lawrence. “I put the application in September. Through committees and everything else and NYSSAR (New York State Sons of the American Revolution) – we got it.”

She highlighted that it will fall in line with what Sullivan County Historian John Conway wants to do with his “The British Are Coming” event at Fort Delaware.

At Conway’s request, she has also given him many patriotic burials with the pension applications from the Revolutionary War.

“He does Sullivan County which wasn’t [founded] until 1809. So all of this with the revolution is Mamakating,” explained Lawrence. “It’s a lot of work.”

Robbins told Lawrence that the Town will work with John Conway on a date and get things ready.

“We’ll set up a date to have the ribbon cutting or unveiling of the plaque,” stated Robbins.