MAMAKATING – Sullivan County District 4 Legislator Nick Salomone appeared before the Mamakating Town Board last Tuesday night to outline millions of dollars in recent county spending within the town, citing infrastructure investments and stable county taxes as tangible returns for local taxpayers.

Salomone stated that the county has spent roughly $7.578 million on bridge work in Mamakating. While bridge maintenance is typically a town responsibility, Salomone noted that the county assumed those costs in lieu of revenue sharing, calling it a significant financial benefit for the town.

Turning to roadway improvements, Salomone reported that the county repaved 5.47 miles of roadway in and around Mamakating over the past year and a half. Projects included Bellingham Road, Winterton Road, portions of County Route 62, Spruce Road, Upper Road, Campbell Road and Hamilton Road.

He added that repaving costs the county approximately $340,000 per mile, but that figure can nearly double when guardrail repairs are required, increasing the total to about $540,000 per mile.

“The reason I’m mentioning it is people complain, ‘Where’s my county taxes going?’” Salomone said, noting that infrastructure and public safety continue to be major drivers of county spending.

Salomone also addressed police protection, pointing to county support for law enforcement services. While coverage in rural areas can be limited, he said the county continues efforts to fairly allocate deputies throughout its municipalities as contracts are renegotiated.

He then referenced the county tax levy adopted in December, noting that the initially proposed increase was projected at 19 percent before negotiations brought it down to the state-mandated two percent tax cap.

Focusing specifically on Mamakating, Salomone said county taxes for town residents decreased, crediting the Town Assessor’s work with equalization rates as well as new businesses that expanded the tax base.

“When you look at your tax bill, really look at it,” Salomone said. “Your county taxes in Mamakating actually went down.”

He contrasted Mamakating’s outcome with other parts of the county that saw steeper increases, attributing the difference to reassessment efforts and growth in assessed valuation.

Highway super looks back 

on snowstorm response

The final Sunday in January remains fresh in residents’ minds after a major winter storm blanketed much of the region with snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Mamakating was no exception, as Highway Superintendent Thomas Morrow reflected on the department’s response.

Describing it as the “first large snow event of the year, and probably the first large snow event in the last couple of years,” Morrow estimated that roughly two feet of snow fell across the town, keeping highway crews busy for two days of continuous cleanup. Crews also spent the following week pushing back snowbanks at intersections.

Morrow acknowledged that mailboxes are occasionally struck by plows or damaged by the weight of snow. As a courtesy, he said the department will replace or repair mailboxes damaged during snow and ice operations.

“Understand that mailboxes are considered obstructions of the right-of-way and we are not under any legal authority to replace or repair them,” Morrow stressed. “We do it as a courtesy.”

He advised residents whose mailboxes were damaged to contact the Highway Department, adding that crews ask for a few days after a storm to prioritize clearing roads before addressing mailbox repairs.

Morrow also raised concerns about the ongoing issue of residents pushing snow from driveways into roadways, which is illegal. He recounted an incident from two days earlier in which a delayed driveway cleanup required a crew to respond on overtime.

According to Morrow, the snow pushed into the roadway caused two vehicles to veer from the road within 10 minutes.

During his Supervisor’s Report, Town Supervisor Peter Goodman echoed appreciation for the town’s response, citing emergency planning efforts and coordination with the Highway Department.

“I think they [the Parks and Maintenance departments] did a really fantastic job under trying circumstances,” Goodman said. “It was a very heavy snowfall—everybody knows that. It’s tough for them to find places to put it.”

Goodman added that the aftermath of major storms often brings complaints from residents frustrated by snow left in driveways.

“People just need to have some patience and know that nobody’s getting picked on and having snow put into their driveway on purpose,” Goodman said. “It’s on the road, and it’s going to get plowed somewhere.”