Culverts: Not Just for Human Use

As everyone knows, Washington county is a large county with much of its total acreage dedicated to farming and dairy production. I like to occasionally spotlight things going on in the county that might be of interest. Today, I wanted to explain what the Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) does.

The Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) is a unique unit of local government that was founded in 1945. Their mission is to assist agricultural producers, rural landowners and municipalities with the management, conservation and best use of our natural resources. In plain terminology – they protect the County’s soil and water resources while maintaining the viability of agriculture as a preferred land use.

Culverts: Not Just for Human Use
by Laura Generous, District Technician

While many of us pay little attention to the culverts or bridges we pass on our daily commutes, or maybe just look at the picturesque water that flows through, aquatic critters must face the challenges they pose to get from one section of stream to the next. The North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaboration (NAACC) has set up a protocol to inventory culverts and bridges across the northeast.

Trained individuals use a variety of tools to record field observations of culverts and bridges along transportation routes such as roads, railways, and trails. These observations are then entered into a database, scored, and mapped. While the primary objective is to determine if the culvert is passable to aquatic organisms such as fish, frogs, and turtles, it also considers passage for our four-legged friends such as chipmunks, fox, and deer.

It is also a great way to determine the condition of the culvert, which can help highway workers add another — just cause for replacing something that may fail soon. These inventories help conservation efforts of several agencies and non-profits by ranking culverts as to the ability for an aquatic critter to get from one side of the culvert to the other.

This ranking can show funding sources and be used in grant applications to help replace these culverts, so they are safer for use to drive over as well as easy to pass through for our aquatic friends. Look at the pictures and think about which you would rather “swim” through, and which are a little unwelcoming.

Administrators Note: Many thanks to the Washington County Soil & Water Conservation District and Laura Generous for their permission to reprint their article and pictures here.

Briton Riviere, Sympathy, ca. 1878

Everyone needs a friend.

“Riviere achieved immense popularity with the Victorian public for his anecdotal and often humourous pictures of animals. ‘Sympathy’, showing a little girl sent in disgrace to sit on the stairs while being comforted by her dog, was among the most popular of all. The first version was shown at the Royal Academy in 1878, but the picture exhibited here is a study Riviere made for a second version.

Always a supreme technician in his pictures, Riviere also painted historical subjects and portraits, but it was always his animal scenes to which the public most warmly responded.”

Gallery label, August 2004

Leaves Are Falling

The last few weeks in Huletts have been spectacular. The weather has been warm and sunny and the nights have been cool. Plan on coming back again before it starts to get colder. Here are some leaves from this past week.

HLVFC Celebrates its Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations Graduating Class of 2019


The HLVFC firefighters who gained their certification for Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations. (Click all images to see larger versions.)

A noteworthy celebration that took place at the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company firehouse last Saturday, where 18 members were honored for their successful completion of a very intensive 80 hour training course, sponsored by the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, thus gaining their certification for Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations.

As you can imagine, that commitment to advance the level of professionalism within our community is just one more indication of the dedication these firefighters have for improving their skills to best serve our Huletts Landing community.

The dinner, held in their honor that evening, was attended by the proud family members of the graduates, other rank and file members of the Fire Company and the officiating members of the New York State Fire Administrators Office. Also in attendance, was Paul Ferguson, Town Supervisor for the the town of Dresden.

The ultimate focus of appreciation was on each graduate as they were called up to receive their “Certificate of Completion” from the State Administrator and their Instructor, Scott Richards.

Many accolades of appreciation were given to all those “behind the scene” supporting staff, including several of the firefighter wives who faithfully provided all the daily food and nourishment – it was delicious and they were outstanding.

But especially singled out were the fire Company’s Training Officer, Jim Leghorn, and his wife Cathy for the initial planning and valued contribution in putting this project together and thereby providing this opportunity for its success.

So once again, many thanks to the Graduates for undertaking this challenge – no doubt a decision that will prove to be beneficial to our community for years to come. All in all, it was a very exciting and rewarding evening that will long be remembered.

In Memory of William Harriman 1932-2019


William “Poppy” Harriman 1932-2019

Obituary of William ‘Poppy’ Harriman

William ‘Poppy’ Harriman, of Denville, passed away peacefully with his caring family by his side on Thursday, September 12, 2019 at Morristown Medical Center. He was 87 years young.

Born in New York, New York to the late William and Frieda Harriman, he was raised in Germantown in the upper East side of Manhattan. It was in Croton, NY where he met his soulmate, Anne E. Riebe. They married on April 5, 1953 at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in New York City and began a family of their own. In 1959 they relocated to Oakland, NJ to continue growing their beautiful family before settling down in Sparta in 1968. He received his Bachelor Arts Degree in Business from Adelphi University in New York. After his beloved Anne passed in 2012, Poppy relocated to Denville to be closer to his adored children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

A proud war veteran, Poppy honorably served our country in the United States Navy during the Korean War. Serving in the Navy was the foundation that formed his love for aircrafts. He had a successful 40 year career working for Newark Liberty International Airport, retiring in 1989 as the Chief of Operations.

His happy place was on a boat on Lake George surrounded by his family. Family truly was the first priority in his life. The unconditional love, endless support, and selflessness that he provided was never taken for granted.

He fought for independence, honesty, integrity, respect and first and foremost, for his family. He was gregarious, charming, intelligent, and vivacious, which are just a few attributes that describe Poppy. To say he will be sorely missed is an understatement.

He leaves joyful and special memories to his loving children, Charles Harriman and his wife Nanci, Cynthia Harriman and her husband Edward Prendeville, Anne Berry and her husband Douglas, and Barbara Harriman-Pauls and her husband Patrick Pauls. He is survived by his cherished grandchildren, Alexandra Stienstra and her husband Michael, Jonathan Harriman and his wife Annie, Annemarie Clayton and her husband Thomas, Madison Berry, Benjamin Harriman and his wife Livia, Charlie Harriman, Sean Pauls, Emma Harriman, William Pauls, and Maximillian Berry. He has seven treasured great-grandchildren, Harrison, Graham, Reid, Penny, Theodore, Morgan, and Sebastian; and many extended family members and friends.

Although we are deeply saddened by Poppy’s passing, we take comfort in knowing he is looking after us from above, especially his two great-grandchildren that will be born in the next few months.

Memorial Visitation will take place on Sunday, September 15th from 3 – 5 pm at Norman Dean Home for Services, 16 Righter Avenue, Denville. Memorial Donations are being accepted to Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation or Wounded Warrior Project.

Rep. Stefanik Visits Washington County Fair


Congresswoman Stefanik competing in the annual milking contest with the Dairy Princesses and Ambassadors at the Washington County Fair.

Representative Stefanik attended the Washington County Fair for the seventh year recently. She spoke with constituents and promoted the importance of the agriculture sector and dairy industry to our North Country economy. Congresswoman Stefanik has been readily accessible over her years in office to the people she represents, holding over 1000 constituent district events.

Golf Course News


Participants in the ‘Skip Linhart Golf Tournament’.

Ben Hogan once said: “The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight.” For all those who love golf in Huletts – there were two newsworthy events that took place on the Huletts golf course recently that are certainly newsworthy.

The annual ‘Skip Linhart Golf Tournament’ was held on 8/17/19 and included 39 golfers from the Huletts community. The winners of this year’s tournament were: Mark Eliseo, Dick Lyons, Deckkers Davidson, Doreen Stoecker and Mike Machiski.


Children who participated in the first annual Youth Golf Tournament.

The first annual Youth Golf Tournament was held on 8/30/19 and included approximately 30 children ranging from the ages of five through twelve. The program was organized by Haley Davidow and assisted by others. Trophies were awarded to winners of the various age groups.

Many thanks to all those who worked so hard to make these two events happen.

(Click images to see larger versions.)

Labor Day 2019

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

Martin Luther King Jr.