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- NARROWSBURG -- In response to public comment at the July 23rd meeting of the Conference of Upper Delaware Townships (COUP), chair Phil Fitzpatrick instructed consultant Chuck Hoffman to draft Open Meetings and Freedom of Information policies for the proposed Upper Delaware Council (UDC).
- Because the council will be an interstate body, comprised primarily of officials from the river towns, it will not be bound by federal or state laws governing the matters. Fitzpatrick instructed Hoffman to consult with the Delaware River Basin Commission, another interstate entity, in drafting the policies.
- Draft by-laws indicate that COUP intends for the council to abide by principles of free information, but fail to spell out procedures for formally supplying documents or listing exemptions from public disclosure. The new policies are also expected to set limitations on executive sessions.
- Hoffman noted that the plan is now being studied by the Office of Management and Budget in Washington, but he did know how soon it will be signed by the Secretary of the Interior. Following approval, if Congress takes no action within 90 days, the plan will go into effect.
- He said that it has been decided that the UDC will receive fiscal allocations through a "memorandum of understanding" from the National Park Service (NPS).
- In another matter, COUP decided to write to the DRBC for a status report on its investigation of high bacteria levels contaminating West End Beach in Port Jervis. Although the beach was slated to open on July 25 after chlorination of a city storm drain, DRBC has not yet identified the source of fecal coliform coming from the Sparrowbush area.
- During the meeting, several members of the Independent Landholders Association (ILA) objected boisterously to the NPS presence on the river. A Lackawaxen resident objected to the tenor of certain remarks by Don Rupp of Barryville, and Fitzpatrick warned Rupp that personal verbal attacks at meetings would "not be tolerated."
- Rupp responded that he had a constitutional right to call Fitzpatrick, Hoffman and the NPS representative whatever names he liked.
- After the meeting Hancock representative George Frosch and ILA member Eugene L'Hernault engaged in physical contact, but stopped short of violence. L'Hernault's wife Cecilia joined in the interaction, hitting Frosch's chest and exclaiming, "Don't push my husband!"
- L'Hernault criticized Frosch's accompaniment at the meeting by a German shepherd dog. Frosch said he did not want to leave the pet in his overheated car.
Related external links
- Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
- National Freedom of Information Center
- NYS Committee on Open Government
- Because the council will be an interstate body, comprised primarily of officials from the river towns, it will not be bound by federal or state laws governing the matters. Fitzpatrick instructed Hoffman to consult with the Delaware River Basin Commission, another interstate entity, in drafting the policies.
Thursday, Thursday, July 30, 1987.