Town of Bethel
December
Newsletter
Happy
Holidays!!
Dear
E-mail Newsletter
Subscribers,
It is the 7th anniversary of the Town of
Bethel E-Mail
Newsletter. What started as a press release and
then sending to my daughter's friends via e-mail has turned into the
Monthly
Newsletter. I am happy to report that I have over 950 subscribers and
growing every day. The newsletter is also available in printed paper
format at the Town Hall for those who do not have a computer and it is also
archived on the Town's website. I do not share e-mail addresses and the
newsletter is sent undisclosed to all recipients for your
privacy. It has been fun creating a theme each month for you
to enjoy. I am open to any suggestions and welcome community information
to post.
Town
Hall Holiday
Schedule
December
24th - Open until Noon
December 25th -
Closed
December
31st - Open Until Noon
January 1st
- Closed
Town Board – December
11th 7:30 p.m. @ Bethel Senior
Center
Planning Board -
December 9th 7:30 p.m. - Bethel Senior
Center
Zoning Board -
December 15th 7:30 p.m. - Bethel Justice Court
Town Board - 2009
Re-organizational Meeting – January 8th 7:30 p.m. @ Bethel Senior Center
Youth
Board – December 16th at Bethel Justice
Court
Town
Launches Updated Website
The
Website has a new look thanks to Rita Sheehan, Bethel Town Clerk. Rita has
spent over 15 hours updating the website to be more useful with a pleasant
appearance. Updated features include the Parks and Recreation page,
Economic Development and the History Page. In additional to the features
information has been updated on all the pages with new links to important
sites. Additional pages are the Community Calendar, Bethel First and the
Bethel Local Development Corporation. Several pages are still under
construction including the forms. The forms are being uploaded as
fill-able, printable and e-mailable Adobe pdfs. All updates should be
completed by December 31st. The Town Code has been re-codified
by General Code Publishers. A link on the Town website will take you to
e-code 360 for the current Code Book. Another feature that has been added
is music on the home page so turn up your speakers. We hope you enjoy the
new look and features!
Christmas
Tree Recycling
The Town
Transfer Station will be taking used Christmas trees as part of their recycling
program for free. Please place is designated area. The Transfer Station is
open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Closed major holidays. They will
also be closed on 11/28.
Election
Results
The
General Election Results can be found the County’s website at www.co.sullivan.ny.us Go to
Departments, choose Board of Elections, in the center of the BOE screen choose
the Town and then the position. Denise Frangipane will be the new Town Board
member effective January 1, 2009.
Bethel
Woods Museum
Hours
While the 1969 Woodstock festival was a three-day event, you may enjoy The
Museum at Bethel Woods for nine months throughout the year to learn more about
the Sixties and the Woodstock festival.
Open through the end of
December, with your family and holiday guests, from Thursday thru Sunday, 10am
to 5pm (last admission at 3:30pm). The museum will be closed on Thanksgiving Day,
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The museum will close for
the season on Monday, January 5 and will reopen on Thursday, March 19,
2009. The Museum Café is always serving light fare during museum
hours.
Western
Branch of Literacy
Center
The Town of Bethel has been pursuing the creation of a Literacy Center to provide and promote reading and
learning opportunities for our citizens – both old and young. This effort
will become a reality in the Spring of 2009 as we partner with the
Sullivan County Literacy Center, the BLDC and the Town of Bethel Youth Board.
Significant building repairs and improvements will be made to our current
Youth
Building. We will
expand the building, implement recommended energy improvements and incorporate
several ‘green’ initiatives. When completed, the building will accommodate
both a computer-equipped, well stocked Literacy Center and a renovated Youth area to
support year-round activities. This Literacy Center is made possible through equipment, books and
supplies provided by the Sullivan
County Literacy Center in Monticello along with municipal funds and
planned fundraising efforts. Many thanks to June Barrett, resident of Smallwood,
and Connie Keller, Director of the Sullivan County Literacy Center for their personal initiative to
make this happen. A fundraising event will be on February 15, 2009 at
Friends Restaurant in the afternoon. More info
later.
Star
Exemptions
The Bethel Assessor,
Marguerite Brown, would like to remind residents:
Enhanced
Star Exemption: Enhanced Star Exemption (over
age 65 & income qualified) to re-apply by March 1st for next
year’s exemption. If you already receive the Enhanced Star you will get a
letter from the Assessor.
Basic
Star Exemption: Anyone who receives the Basic
Star who will be turning 65 in 2009 will have to re-apply under the enhanced
guidelines for the Enhanced Star Exemption. All Basic Star recipients who
are not 65 do not to fill out any new forms, the Star form only needs to be
filled out once until you are 65.
SC
Community Chorus Concert
The Sullivan County Community Chorus
will be presenting its December concert on the 14th at 3PM in
the Presbyterian Church on Jones
Street in Monticello, under the directorship of David
Trombley and Accompanied by Lucille Horton. For further information call
Lucille Horton at 845-794-7869.
Annual
Children's Christmas Party
Children's Christmas
Party, Saturday, December 13th 1:00 p.m. until 3 p.m. approx.
Sponsored by White Lake, Kauneonga Lake and Smallwood Fire
Companies. This year to be held at the Kauneonga Lake Fire
House. Santa Claus will be there to hand out a present to each
child, picture opportunity (bring your own camera), refreshments and
cookies will be served. Ages Infants to Age 12. Bethel residents only,
please.
Commemorative
Cookbooks
The 2009 Commemorative Cookbooks
produced by the United Methodist Church in Town of Bethel have arrived. The books feature over 200
recipes from the people of Bethel and the surrounding area as well as
interesting tidbits and helpful hints. They would make excellent gifts this
holiday season. They will be available at a variety of events over the next year
or you can order one by calling (845) 583-5059 or emailing
umcbethelny@yahoo.com. The cookbooks are $10.00 each plus $3.00 for
shipping.
Reformed
Presbyterian Church December Activities
Reformed Presbyterian Church, Rt. 17
B in White Lake across from Bethel Medical. Faith Hall is
handicapped-accessible. For more information, call 583-7082, or visit www.whitelakechurch.com. The Shepherd's Pantry,
food pantry distribution, December 11th, 10 AM - 2 PM, For more information, call 583-4679. Donations
accepted at the White Lake Post Office or the Town Hall.
Seniors in the Town of Bethel are invited to a Monthly Luncheon 11:30 – 1:00. In
addition to a free lunch, seniors will have a holiday sing-a-long. Seniors, come
enjoy the opportunity to socialize and do something different. Join them
for a Candlelight Christmas Eve
Service at 7 PM.
Annual
Christmas Tree Lighting
The Annual Tree
Lighting will be Friday, December 5th at 7:00 p.m. Caroling,
hot cocoa and donuts and a visit from Mrs. Claus. Sponsored by Kauneonga
Lake Fire Co., Kauneonga Ladies Auxiliary and the Town of Bethel.
Monticello
YMCA Opens!!
For more information
go to www.middletownymca.org
Box
Tops for Education
The Town Hall is collecting Box Tops
for Education and Campbell Soup labels for the Duggan Elementary School. Drop off labels
during office hours. For more information go to www.campbellsoup.com and www.boxtops4education.com for
product listings. Thank you to retired Town Justice Leon Lifton for his
generous donation for the past four
years of Box Tops and Campbell Soup labels, (all the way from
Florida)! Purchases online can also be
credited to the school of your Choice.
SC
Historical Society Theme Tree Exhibit
The
Sullivan County Historical Society presents the 22nd annual theme
tree exhibit. Sunday, December 7th 2:30-4.
The Bethel Bicentennial Committee will
have a special tree in honor of the Town’s 200th Anniversary.
The Dr. Duggan School will also have 7 historical trees in honor of the Town’s
200th, the County’s 200th and Woodstock’s
40th ! For more information call
434-8044
Hi-Lites Magazine for
Children 15th Annual Open House, 803 Church Street, Honesdale, PA. Saturday, December 6th
9 am - 4 pm. Music, crafts, storytelling, refreshments, book sale and
more, raffles. Free book for every child. Decorated for the
Holidays.
Have
a wonderful holiday season!
