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- DAMASCUS -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management will make an annual payment in lieu of taxes, following purchase of a Milanville property intended for use as a north district office for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, according to National Park Service (NPS) superintendent John T. Hutzky.
- Over each of the next five years, the federal government will pay the equivalent of the 1988 taxes on the parcel, or 1% of the sale price ($216,000) -- whichever is less, Hutzky said.
- The 8.4 acre riparian site is the former home of Alan and Ronnie Lieb. The assessed value of the property was not immediately available.
- Hutzky explained that the amount will be paid by U.S. Treasury check directly to the taxing authority -- Wayne County. "I don't know what the county does when it receives those payments," he said, but speculated that a portion would be forwarded to Damascus Township.
- Damascus supervisor Thomas Griffith recently stated that he was unsure whether NPS would pay anything to local coffers on the property.
- Hutzky said he was not surprised at Griffith's uncertainty, since Damascus does not participate on the Upper Delaware Council (UDC), where the proposed acquisition was discussed in committee as early as last winter.
- "Tom Griffith does not communicate with us in any way. I'm not saying this to disparage [him], but unless he's a part of the action there's no way he's going to know what's going on," Hutzky said.
- The Upper Delaware River Management Plan authorizes purchase of a tract "in the Callicoon area" for a north district ranger station if suitable rental property can not be located. The building housing the present office in Cochecton is up for sale and "might be sold out from under us at any time," Hutzky stated.
- "Tom Griffith does not communicate with us in any way... unless he's a part of the action, there's no way he's going to know what's going on."
- John Hutzky
- He noted that a search committee comprised of NPS officials and one UDC representative examined three rental sites near Callicoon, but all were found unacceptable.
- Hutzky pointed out the Milanville site offers direct access to the river, has adequate storage space, an employee parking area, and is easily available to the public. For the last two or three years, he added, NPS has leased a garage on the Lieb property, making the parcel a convenient choice for acquisition.
Related external links
- Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River
- Over each of the next five years, the federal government will pay the equivalent of the 1988 taxes on the parcel, or 1% of the sale price ($216,000) -- whichever is less, Hutzky said.
Thursday, July 20, 1989.
NPS to pay 'taxes' on Milanville property
By TOM RUE
Related story here