Monticello, NY – The Sullivan County Legislature today released the following statement:

Monticello, NY – The Sullivan County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board is currently seeking farms interested in applying for the NYS Agriculture and Markets Farmland Protection Implementation Grant.

Applicants must be actively farming the property and committed to placing a permanent land protection agreement restricting certain development rights on the land. A current appraisal of the value of the farmland to be protected will also be required.

Liberty, NY – On January 2, 2020, the Home Energy Assistance Program’s (HEAP’s) Emergency Benefit component opens and will begin accepting applications.

Emergency benefits are available to assist eligible households with a heating emergency or a heat-related domestic emergency. Only one Emergency Benefit of each type is available per HEAP household for the 2019-2020 season.

Regular component benefits, if available, must be utilized first to resolve heating emergencies for eligible households.

Van Manakas

Hurleyville, NY – The First Sunday Concerts at the Sullivan County Museum are back, and on January 5 the series will kick off the New Year by showcasing some of the crowd’s favorite performers from 2019.

Monticello, NY – Weighing in at $1 million less than the 2019 Budget, the 2020 Sullivan County Budget was unanimously adopted today by the Legislature.

“Our Division of Management and Budget, which has worked for months to develop a responsible and efficient budget, was able to significantly lower appropriations for 2020, bringing the total appropriations in the 2020 Budget to $233,270,953,” said County Manager Josh Potosek.

Liberty, NY – Sullivan County’s Public Health Services and partners were honored by the NYS Department of Health last month upon the successful conclusion of a massive, coordinated effort to avoid a local measles outbreak similar to what New York City faced this summer.

Monticello, NY – The new year is expected to be one of growth for the new Move Sullivan public transportation service offered by Sullivan County, which has already seen ridership skyrocket since its August debut.

“The Tentative 2020 County Budget includes $300,000 for two new buses and $150,000 for an expansion of hours and/or routes,” noted Sullivan County Manager Josh Potosek. “We want to prioritize that expansion where there’s the greatest interest and need.”

Hurleyville, NY – The Country Travelers are a classic country/bluegrass dance band whose repertoire includes square and round dance tunes, and longtime dance caller Patty Legg will actually call a dance during their show at the Sullivan County Museum on Sunday, December 15, starting at 2 p.m. (rescheduled from December 1 due to wintry conditions). Wear your dancing shoes!

Monticello, NY – Sullivan County Manager Joshua Potosek will be presenting the 2020 Tentative Sullivan County Budget at various meetings around the County in early December.

The $233 million budget – $1 million less than 2019’s – was given to legislators in November, who are now reviewing it.

Monticello, NY – Sullivan County’s Center for Workforce Development (CWD) wants your feedback!

In order to better understand and serve the local workforce and the companies which employ them, the CWD has created a quick and easy-to-answer survey, which can be completed anonymously.

The survey, available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/3GGYRKJ, asks why people look for a new job, don’t seek a new job, or find new job searches to be full of obstacles.