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Town clerk, comprehensive plan and attorney subjects at Tusten meeting

Isabel Braverman - Staff Writer
Posted 1/16/20

NARROWSBURG — It's a new year and a new board in the Town of Tusten. Newly elected Supervisor Ben Johnson presided over the town council meeting Tuesday night and promised to keep it short.

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Town clerk, comprehensive plan and attorney subjects at Tusten meeting

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NARROWSBURG — It's a new year and a new board in the Town of Tusten. Newly elected Supervisor Ben Johnson presided over the town council meeting Tuesday night and promised to keep it short.

Comments and questions from the public were kept to the public comment section, during which former Councilman Ned Lang took issue with Tusten Tax Collector Crystal Weston.

He charged that her salary is $35,230 and on the website her posted hours are nine per week. He said that amounts to $75.27 an hour.

“How in God's name is that possible that this town is paying anyone $75.27 an hour to fulfill a job, with an assistant on top of that, plus your retirement?”

Weston responded saying that she works more than nine hours a week and does not make $75 per hour. She also said that her salary is actually $28,230.

“I do not have an assistant; by law I have every right to appoint a deputy, and I have appointed a deputy to help get our town records in order because from past years they're a bit of a mess and I want to get everything together,” she said. “Secondly, I have posted office hours, those are hours I'll definitely be in the office for anyone to come in, and I can always increase them if necessary. But I have put in 30 hours every week since the first of the year.”

She added that she also sometimes works from home and if anyone calls the clerk's number she can answer it from anywhere.

The 2020 adopted budget lists the Town Clerk personal services at $28,230 and contractual expense at $7,000 for a total of $35,230. Weston said her actual salary is $28,230, and that the $7,000 is for office expenses.

Lang retorted by saying, “I will put you on notice that the Republican Party will be looking for a new town clerk at the next election process, because this is outrageous.”

Weston was elected in 2018 to a four-year term. The next election will be in 2021.

Town Attorney

The town board voted to retain Danielle Jose-Decker from the firm Ricciani & Jose, LLP as the Town Attorney. The firm is based out of Monticello and Jose-Decker is President of the Sullivan County Bar Association.

The board was previously without a town attorney.

“I think it's something that's important to do to get moving,” Johnson said.

Councilwoman Jane Luchsinger asked what kind of commitment or contract there would be.

“Whatever attorney we bring in works for the pleasure of the board, this is not a two-year commitment, not a six-month commitment,” Johnson said. “But we need to cover ourselves with somebody.”

Jose-Decker said she will attend all town meetings, unless the town board doesn't think it's necessary.

Comprehensive Plan

The town received a grant from the Upper Delaware Council to update its comprehensive plan, which is over ten years old (it was adopted in 2007).

They divided the grant into two phases, and the first phase includes appointing a committee.

They voted to appoint Ken Baim, Elaine Giguere, Mike Farrell, Art Hawker, Jim Crowley, Luchsinger and Johnson, as well as two open positions.

A comprehensive plan is an official document adopted by a local government that identifies the goals, objectives, principles, guidelines, policies, standards and strategies for the growth and development of the community.

It serves as a blueprint for the community when setting policies such as zoning and building codes. It also recommends ways to achieve the community's desires.

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