[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6476929,"mediaKeyId","5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda","parentId",5716052,"title","Coroner warns of new opioid derivatives, updates on morgue upgrade and staffing","audioSeconds",150,"startMs",1193000,"endMs",1343000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda&start=1193&end=1343","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda/thumbnail_1193000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6476929/Sullivan-County/New-York/Coroner-warns-of-new-opioid-derivatives-updates-on-morgue-upgrade-and-staffing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476929-f870fc60d97123484e71949e317ad968/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148763&Signature=WEW62HbxP4VQv~Tw4Hd05vFJwiowYIACXDs~i5Og2hvfwecaHOZeA6zYN8K4Wt6SS-bkdRNkgl-UqA0ETOGpOOWJs1uqYJeYaj4aSlXjYhBXTyw5TNQCH~mFctLKQ3qU9AktpUi5nLxdZlLxlZn3~1gDSLX2~~Y6fCBgpgGxAXsEpWF6o1JWhGna8wo0e0Am9EJVPb0L3R7cfvsup-KoPOTPyQgwGve7P1ueekvbYKChLRlQKCuptgSDX2BeJpHFmtWAZcyZLtKoawTXmYZxPxtxWA7U1dLumVPN~ZVxzXBR59dryW9ampFlWqG9VB-fcRGAZIam8ilA2A1cOph36w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sullivan County","date","2025-09-04T10:36:00Z","article","Sullivan County’s coroner briefed the Public Safety Committee on a range of medical-examiner issues, warning about newly regulated opioids and describing facility and staffing concerns.

The coroner said a proposed upgrade to the county morgue exceeded the initial projection and that the plan was revised; the updated plan will be submitted to the budget office and county manager for approval. The coroner also said there was no confirmed replacement pathologist yet ahead of a current pathologist’s planned departure in December and that the coroner’s office would meet this month to discuss the staffing situation.

The coroner relayed recent federal action on certain drug compounds. He said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned sale of a compound found in some kratom products and identified a class of synthetic opioids known as nitazenes that federal authorities reported are substantially more potent than fentanyl and morphine. The coroner told the committee that the chemical differences in these compounds can make toxicology screening and cause-of-death determination more difficult.

“We had only 10 deaths this past month. Three autopsies took place and one overdose death. Two are still pending. We have to wait for the toxicology,” the coroner said, summarizing the office’s recent caseload and the diagnostic uncertainty pending lab results.

The coroner also asked legislators and committee members to attend a coroner’s office meeting and flagged the urgency of confirming a new pathologist before the current one leaves.

No formal committee action was taken during the briefing; the coroner indicated follow-up with the budget office on the revised morgue plan and that the office would continue to monitor emerging drug threats.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sullivan County - Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee on 2025-09-04 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Sullivan County coroner reported a proposed morgue upgrade that exceeded initial projection, noted uncertainty about a replacement pathologist, and relayed federal notices about kratom and powerful synthetic opioids called nitazenes.","taxTitle","Sullivan County, New York","taxId",14534,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6476934,"Sheriff disputes claim of non-enforcement at Katrina Falls trailhead; residents say parking and safety remain problems",124,628000,752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda&start=628&end=752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda/thumbnail_628000.jpg","/articles/6476934/Sullivan-County/New-York/Sheriff-disputes-claim-of-non-enforcement-at-Katrina-Falls-trailhead-residents-say-parking-and-safety-remain-problems","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476934-4a3663453c9c69896d55209d72f824eb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148763&Signature=dBjSsCaIf6z4jAC88~FEj7iQl0Y2PMCwYIq5gKmoY37t2Gc0apQVl22h0EwX1NSKI0bYo86Eqb~fkjkdZfB2x7JyXjvOGPeBVBMoM~4Shh5PF9fOa0hfgEWyjjpRdECK75B0SMycI6py5moZykzSY9kyW1jZW51ZpB5vZN~SJ4EcgoOarUDBRhV7L0GTIJbNpbZ3g18hsEdceNbQEIqlIVVO8VVEby280OEAhw2uDiHRABZ2j6qWp6WRW8M1b6DHDMI8xvFhTE11Kbm9gTargxhezszzaIMC-LVtl8MmdOVVjxFgbYc2w9gvBTEOX7WZL3jqp5EdM0URj-jXHVTJlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and county officials clashed over enforcement at the Katrina Falls trailhead and nearby public-access sites during the Public Safety Committee meeting in Monticello.

A local resident had told the Legislature at a prior meeting that no enforcement was taking place after large crowds began visiting a newly publicized trailhead. The sheriff’s office disputed that account during the committee meeting, saying enforcement and towing were in place when vehicles blocked emergency access.

“If cars are parked on the road, they get towed because we can't have it blocked for emergency vehicles to go down there,” the sheriff said, describing weekend ranger and county enforcement efforts at the site. He added that the DEC (the state Department of Environmental Conservation) had forest rangers present during weekends and that the town had posted additional signs and some overflow parking, though visitors often did not use the off-site lots.

A legislator who followed up on the resident’s claims said committee staff verified facts such as how many vehicles were towed and whether state police were present during incidents. That legislator said follow-up calls to the undersheriff and other agencies were made to corroborate the account provided at the earlier meeting.

Committee discussion acknowledged both sides: a member argued the resident’s remarks reflected frustration after a nearby car accident and urged care when characterizing public comment as misinformation; the sheriff responded that misleading statements were unfair if they ignored the documented enforcement he observed.

The committee did not take formal action on the Katrina Falls matter beyond the discussion and the assurance of follow-up; staff indicated they would continue to gather data and coordinate with state and town authorities.

Background: The transcript shows the sheriff reporting roughly 1,000 square miles in county patrol responsibility and noting similar overflow and litter problems at other summer access points, including a fishing access at Claryville tied to spillover visitation from a nearby site across the Ulster County line.","A resident’s complaints about parking and a nearby car accident at Katrina Falls prompted exchanges between the sheriff and committee members; sheriff’s office described towing and ticketing operations, while residents and a legislator urged follow-up and data verification.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6476938,"Public Safety Committee approves DWI plan, K-9 pay, leases and ambulance donation",275,1801000,2076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda&start=1801&end=2076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5716052-a5857a78521468725d2e0c392c28beda/thumbnail_1801000.jpg","/articles/6476938/Sullivan-County/New-York/Public-Safety-Committee-approves-DWI-plan-K-9-pay-leases-and-ambulance-donation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476938-a6260a2dd965797442f6cd4bcec99139/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148763&Signature=OkoQGcaacL52ibTyyiL4i0lA8LiqMd7-~L0-IEVV7z-4BZzwbxwp3QxnPiwTEWqj2nBgpUlutbJsUKp~ZlJPywUwYEM9DXVI7DhOXrq8AiBT9uOKRgsoSNi7bXDlTfpq3YtNRBPKFxmdZbWSW1JlIk6z6etReJeAhM3hVK3GRfa992pAUK~XfMBDEH4C2Z9n8RUSDNGZsegwhnlvwOQl51I9nCxpvK83X6U-23C7sw2d5N~HTfENbReVDfmqbXuJ0oWt4N4LtDjxIEc6szBFEcAyDF6u3xiXdn5OAaBdIGHxiokths~OKb1Ro8Lm8o-e5-3bx3kt3W2M9Qqp~kX3Ww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sullivan County’s Public Safety Committee on an administratively focused agenda approved multiple resolutions, including the county’s 2026 traffic DWI plan, a K-9 handler pay provision, leases for public-safety communications sites and acceptance of an ambulance donated by Sullivan BOCES.

The committee unanimously approved the 2026 DWI plan and authorized the county manager to sign related agreements. The committee then considered a resolution authorizing the sheriff’s office to enter into an agreement related to the county’s canine program and associated pay. Committee members amended that resolution to specify the current pay provision would apply to one staff member; the measure passed on a recorded 5-0 vote.

Committee members also voted to authorize and execute a lease with a private landowner to support public-safety communications facilities and to approve a right-of-way agreement with the Sullivan West Central School District; both measures passed by voice vote. The committee accepted an ambulance donated by Sullivan BOCES to the Sullivan County Division of Public Safety; that donation carried on a 4-0 recorded vote.

The canine-pay resolution was discussed at length during the meeting. A committee member asked whether the resolution should specify how many handlers would be covered, citing precedent of limiting the number of employees in other authorizations. In response, a presenter said the county was not creating a new K-9 program with the resolution but rather ensuring pay was available to employees who already were assigned dogs and were entitled to extra compensation under federal law. After discussion the committee amended the resolution to detail a single staff member for the pay provision and then approved it.

A second labor-related resolution authorizing the sheriff’s office to enter into an agreement with the Sullivan County Civil Service Employees Association was considered in the same set of actions and the committee discussed budgetary authorization for the pay change. A committee member asked why a local resolution was required if the pay entitlement stemmed from federal law; staff replied the local vote was needed to authorize the county budgetary dollars to cover the payment.

Committee members closed with a brief set of other votes, including an amendment to grant dates reported as coming from a New York State victims-related office; the resolution passed.

Votes at a glance:
- 2026 DWI plan: approved (recorded vote 5-0). Motion: authorize the county manager to sign any necessary agreement. (Resolution introduced by the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee.)
- Sheriff/canine pay (agreement with Sullivan County Civil Service Employees Association / FLSA pay provision): amended to specify 1 staff member; approved (recorded vote 5-0). Motion text in meeting: authorize payment consistent with federal law; amendment added the detail of one staff member. (Discussion clarified this action authorizes budget authority.)
- Lease for public-safety communications facilities: approved (voice vote). Motion: authorize and execute a lease with a third-party land owner to support public-safety communications facilities.
- Right-of-way agreement with Sullivan West Central School District: approved (voice vote). Motion: authorize a right-of-way agreement with Sullivan West School Central School District.
- Accept donation of ambulance from Sullivan BOCES to Sullivan County Division of Public Safety: approved (recorded vote 4-0). Motion: accept donation of an ambulance from the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to the Division of Public Safety.
- Amendment to grant dates from a New York State victims-related office (as read in the meeting): approved (voice/recorded vote reported by clerk).

The committee called the question and adjourned following the votes.","Sullivan County Public Safety Committee approved a slate of resolutions including the 2026 DWI plan, a K-9 handler pay provision with an amendment limiting it to one handler, leases for communications sites, a right-of-way with Sullivan West Central School District and acceptance of an ambulance donated by Sullivan BOCES.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Coroner warns of new opioid derivatives, updates on morgue upgrade and staffing

Sheriff disputes claim of non-enforcement at Katrina Falls trailhead; residents say parking and safety remain problems

Public Safety Committee approves DWI plan, K-9 pay, leases and ambulance donation