News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
On this day, April 25th 1865, a 6-year old Theodore Roosevelt watched the funeral procession of President Abraham Lincoln in New York City. With him at the second story window (corner of Broadway and 14th) was his brother Elliot.
Interestingly, though the photograph has been famous since it was taken, only recently was the little face at the window discovered to be the future Governor of New York and President of the United States.
“I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.”
Bob Dylan
We came across this interesting poem about Huletts written by a guest in 1913. This image is a bit hard to read, so to see a larger copy click on the image.
Now is the peak of the brush fire “season”. North Country Public Radio aired this piece on all the recent brush fires in the Adirondacks lately, so this old public service announcement on forest fire prevention is actually quite relevant today.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUQrGht7NE
The 2007-2008 testing and accountability statistics have been released for all schools in the state, so here is a link to the Whitehall Central School Districts info.
If you look at the Accounting and Overview Report (page 2), you’ll notice that in a 3 year period enrollment has dropped from 860 to 845 students and the average class size has fallen from 20 to 18. If you further look at the demographics by class, you’ll see this trend will most likely continue to drop in the years ahead. The school boards response and planning for this? Ask the voters to approve $500,000 which was over budgeted this year, to be put in reserve accounts to fund future expansion. Unbelievable!
But then again, if you’re a reader of the Huletts Current, you’ve known this for some time…..
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one:
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
We gather every day;
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
Cecil Alexander
The Post Star reports that Champlain Stone, which has a quarry on Pike Brook Road, has made an interesting offer to all local municipalities.
They are offering to donate their scrap material/stone to any interested highway departments. The excess scrap rock can be used for culverts and sidewalk reconstruction efforts or any other project a town can think of.
Have any ideas where the Town could use some stone? Let us know.
We are sad to report that Alice Foster, wife of former Dresden Town Supervisor, Francis “Zeke” Foster, and mother of former Dresden Town Supervisor, Sue Foster-Ives, died Saturday, April 18th. For those who didn’t know Alice Foster, she was a very kind and gentle person who was always interested in family and community.
We heard an endearing story about Alice which we pass along here. When she was young, during the winter, when Zeke Foster was courting her, he would snow shoe up Lake George from Huletts Landing, to Schwerdtfeger Mountain in Putnam to see her. As many may know, Zeke Foster was instrumental in establishing the Washington County Beach in Huletts.
We pass along the condolences of the entire Huletts Landing community to the Fosters.
Previously we posted the contracts of the Whitehall School Superintendent and Teachers Union.
Today, we’ll examine the Superintendent’s contract. Note that the yearly salary for this position from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 is $135,000. This is high in comparison to what other school superintendent’s earn. This is the website we looked at for comparison. The salary for the Whitehall Superintendent is clearly above the average based on the figures on that website.
Please keep in mind that most suburban superintendents manage multiple schools. We spoke to an individual from another district who said this position in that district was responsible for 8 schools and paid in the $90,000 range. The Whitehall District only has two schools. Whitehall is a small rural district with falling enrollment. From these observations, it appears that the Whitehall School District has been very generous in what they pay our Superintendent.
You will also note that the contract states; “Upon his retirement from the District in accordance with the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System, the Distict shall provide health insurance and dental insurance coverage under either an individual or family plan (whichever is applicable) in which the District participates at such time for the Superintendent and his spouse for the remainder of their lives. …. The District will pay 100% of the premium cost of the applicable insurance plan through June 30, 2013. After July 1, 2013, the District will pay 75% of the premium cost of the applicable insurance plan….”
It is impossible to calculate what the cost of this benefit will ultimately be for the district because it is of undetermined length. However, the 75% in perpetuity starting July 1, 2013 is an increase over the 50% in perpetuity the district agreed to pay from the previous contract (paragraph 4E of the July 1, 2003 contract). This is a very large increase from one contract to the next and also a very generous retirement benefit.
By reading this contract and by comparing what Whitehall pays its superintendent to what other districts pay their superintendents, we can state that the Whitehall School District has been very generous in how they compensate our Superintendent. Whenever the current superintendent leaves or retires, a number of applicants will clearly want this very lucrative job.
When walking along Bluff Head Road, look up and you’ll see this cool flagpole. The key is that you have to look up.
If you’ve never taken the train from NY City to Huletts, it’s a lot of fun. You start at Penn Station, which is below Madison Square Garden and you take the train to Whitehall. The train goes along the Hudson River almost all the way.
You see so many interesting sites as you go. You pass under the George Washington Bridge, you see the Palisades and Tappan Zee Bridge, you pass West Point and many other places of note. The key is to sit on the left side of the train going north and the right side of the train going south!
Take a quick look here.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDqhS1GoO2M
Not in the clamour of the crowded street,
Not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng,
But in ourselves, are triumph and defeat.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow