MONTICELLO – During his board meeting report, Monticello Deputy Mayor John Barbarite voiced his exasperation over social service projects being proposed within the village without its involvement, noting that such projects can have a significant impact on the community.

At last Wednesday night’s meeting, Barbarite stated that he had seen reports that St. Peter’s Church was looking to create a homeless shelter out of its former school building in collaboration with Sullivan County.

“I read in the newspapers and I hear it was posted on Facebook that St. Peter’s Church is looking to create a shelter in their old school building,” stated Barbarite. “Yet no one from St. Peter’s Church, or the county, has approached the village about this.”

He explained that the situation was one of many in what he believed to be a pattern, citing rehab centers, group homes, as well as a proposed methadone treatment center as examples of projects he said were planned within village limits without village input.

“It’s been quite common over the years that the county makes plans to create drug rehab centers and other programs to address people in need, and they choose the village as a location without consulting with the village,” stated Barbarite.

Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek told the Democrat that the county has consistently involved village officials in projects proposed for Monticello during his 13 years as County Manager. He noted that county and village officials met last year regarding a proposal to build transitional housing in the municipal parking lot behind St. Peter’s Church, but the village declined that proposal, leading the county to begin discussions with officials from the Diocese about the former St. Peter’s School building instead.

“The county does want to continue a positive partnership with the village,” Potosek assured. “We don’t seek to negatively impact the village or abandon it to face long-term challenges alone.”

At the village board meeting, Barbarite also said many participants in these programs come from outside Monticello, including places like Newburgh, and that the village ultimately bears the responsibility of dealing with the long-term impacts and providing services.

Potosek said Monticello, as the county seat and population center, is the appropriate location for many social service programs because it is home to both the residents in need of assistance and the agencies that provide those services. He added that the proposed shelter would serve local residents experiencing hardship, not criminals or nuisances, and that the county’s goal is to help individuals regain stability while continuing to work cooperatively with village officials.

While emphasizing that the village has maintained a positive partnership with Sullivan County, Barbarite said he believed “it’s time for the county to first come to us and see what our needs are.”

Trustee Gordon Jenkins shared the sentiment, stating that the village’s character has changed through continued development and increasing density.

“We’re losing homeownership in this village,” stated Jenkins. “There’s no family structure. There’s no single-family houses. Everything’s illegally converted or [legally] converted.”

He stressed that the village’s infrastructure was being pushed to its limits, adding that while he supports growth and prosperity, he believes the village has experienced more growth than it can reasonably accommodate.

“It’s just too much of a buildup. It can’t handle it,” Jenkins stressed. “I’m all for building and prospering and going forward, but we have to look at where our direction is going.”

Trustee Theodore Hutchins suggested the county could utilize county-owned property for future social service facilities rather than locating them within the village.

“I think the county has plenty of space,” Hutchins added. “If it’s the help that folks need, they have beautiful land over there.”

While no formal action was taken following the discussion, board members agreed they would like to have greater input on future social service projects proposed within the village.