Narrative of Resolution:
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To Support a Permanent Budget Line in the NYS Budget for Upper Delaware Council
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RESOLUTION INTRODUCED BY GOVERNMENT SERVICES COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PERMANENT BUDGET LINE IN THE NEW YORK STATE BUDGET FOR THE UPPER DELAWARE COUNCIL
WHEREAS, the County of Sullivan includes six of eight New York towns (with a combined population of 20,624) that comprise the 1978 federal designation of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, a 73.4-mile component of the National Wild and Scenic River Systems; and
WHEREAS, the Upper Delaware Council was created in 1988 to oversee administration of the River Management Plan for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and has successfully managed the unique federal-states-local governments partnership for 34 years; and
WHEREAS, the operational budget of the Upper Delaware Council was PLANNED at $300,000 federally and $100,000 each from the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but the $100,000 annual funding from the State of New York has never been fulfilled; and
WHEREAS, an independent audit of the Upper Delaware Council’s fiscal situation calculates that the financial atrophy will render effective operations impossible within a short timeframe, due to neither state honoring its anticipated cost-shares and the federal government having failed to increase the 1988 funding level of $300,000 which has been diminished by inflation; and
WHEREAS, the Upper Delaware River Corridor has been ably conserved and protected for more than three decades through the stewardship of the Upper Delaware Council and its partners, sparing the State of New York the expense of managing this valuable resource, an important regional economic engine and recreational resource of national significance.
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NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Sullivan County Legislature hereby urges the Governor of New York State to create a budget line in the New York State Budget funding the Upper Delaware Council to the extent of $100,000 and a permanent budget line in succeeding years to enable the Upper Delaware Council to fulfill the goals and obligations required through the enabling legislation for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River which New York State agreed to uphold.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution shall be sent to the NYS Governor, NYS , Lt. Governor, Senator Martucci, Assemblywoman Gunther and all members of the Sullivan County Legislature.