MARGARETVILLE _ The Catskill Watershed Corporation board of directors has approved six community planning grants benefiting municipalities in Delaware and Ulster counties.
The awards, issued under the Local Technical Assistance Program, totaled $150,000. Among other business conducted April 7 was the approval of LTAP grants.
Awardees included:
ä The village of Fleischmanns, which will receive two grants _ a $20,000 award to update its zoning law and a $14,170 grant to complete a comprehensive plan for the village park.
ä The town of Stamford, which received $25,000 to complete a comprehensive plan to address watershed and farmland protection.
ä The town of Olive, which applied on behalf of the seven communities in the Central Catskills Collaborative _ including the towns of Middletown and Andes and the villages of Margaretville and Fleischmanns _ along the state Route 28 corridor. The project will propose measures to protect natural and scenic resources along Route 28 and Upper Esopus Creek, the Bush Kill and the East Branch of the Delaware River.
ä The town of Middletown, which applied to conduct a regional economic revitalization plan for Middletown, Roxbury, Andes and the villages of Fleischmanns and Margaretville. The $40,830 project will focus on the local economy and the importance of water resources to tourism and economic stability.
The grants were approved at the CWC's monthly board meeting April 7, the last for Secretary Charles Buck of Gilboa.
The sole Schoharie County CWC representative for the past five years, Buck attended his last official meeting, which concluded with the board approving its 1500th resolution.
Buck was praised for his longtime involvement with watershed issues and for being "the level-headed voice of common sense" during many a discussion.
A Schoharie County representative will be seated at the 12th annual meeting of member towns at 6 p.m. April 28 at CWC's offices at 905 Main St., Margaretville. The public is invited.
