Sullivan County public works reports progress on airport terminal, road projects and bridge work

County public works staff updated the Sullivan County Legislature's Public Works Committee on ongoing construction, paving and bridge projects, new DEC wetland permitting requirements and maintenance work on county facilities.

The department reported steady progress on several major projects. Staff said the airport terminal project was on track for a June 18 substantial‑completion date. In Liberty, plans are in review for a redundant water storage tank described as a 206,000‑gallon tank with an estimated construction cost of about $1,200,000 to serve the Liberty complex and an adult care component.

Wetland permitting changes

Public works staff outlined a change in DEC wetland regulation implementation: the county reported that DEC now treats wetlands of unusual importance under 11 possible criteria and has lowered the parcel size threshold it focuses on (staff summarized the threshold as about 7.4 acres). As a result, staff said many local projects will require formal DEC jurisdictional determinations rather than relying solely on wetland maps, and projects may need contractor delineations and additional permitting steps that could extend project schedules.

Roads, paving and bridges

Staff reported that annual building inspections and road work continue. Crack sealing for roads slated for chip sealing was about 75 percent complete at the time of the meeting; staff estimated the chip‑seal program would cover roughly 25 miles (approximate). Contract paving crews completed work on County Roads 52 and 56 and were finishing County Road 58; County Road 103 and Fraser Road also received work including tree removal and stump grinding to improve sight lines. Staff reported guide‑rail and embankment armoring will be required in steep sections near Claryville and said deep‑post guide rail is being considered because slope‑flattening would be cost‑prohibitive.

Bridge projects mentioned included temporary bridge installation on County Bridge 270 (Pflugertown) and work on County Bridge 201 on County Road 95. Staff said the temporary bridge installation should start site work and bridge demolition the following week; County Bridge 277 (Roscoe bypass) also received DOT permits and is scheduled to start site work.

Facilities, parks and equipment

Staff reported maintenance work at county facilities: replacement of deteriorated sidewalks and stairs at the Government Center and Gladys Olmstead building, installation of heat pumps at the Berryville shop to replace oil furnaces, and repairs to roofs and HVAC at the nursing‑home complex (projects that require structural work and engineering review). Parks preparations, water‑system work and cemetery maintenance for upcoming events were also described. Staff said they are replacing some older plows and wings in the fleet and hiring seasonal staff for pavement markings and sign installation.

Ending

Legislators asked questions about schedules and staffing; staff indicated some timing depends on utility relocations and contractor schedules. The committee moved to public comment after the reports and heard several resident concerns, including a request to consider a four‑way stop at the Fraser Road intersection because of safety complaints.