Town of Plattekill residents nearly filled the Town Hall on February 15 to tell their town leaders they must put a stop to the possible siting of a county landfill in the town.

According to a published report, Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) officials were given a report on January 5, 2022, that identified two sites in Plattekill as the only suitable locations in Ulster County for a county landfill. The locations were reportedly withheld by UCRRA officials until the past month.

Former agency chairwoman Katherine Beinkafner, a town resident, said the primary option for a county landfill in the report by HydroQuest is the former Hertel Landfill, a 73.9-acre Superfund cleanup location off U.S. Route 44 in the Town of Plattekill, according to the published report.

Included is a recommendation to purchase the 166.2-acre vacant parcel that adjoins the east and front of Tuckers Corners Road.

Once this information became public, town residents had their first opportunity to vent their frustrations to Plattekill officials at the February 15 Town Board meeting.

Before the public comment period began, Councilman Dean DePew Sr. assured the crowd that the board intended to send a strong message to the UCRRA that the town didn’t want a landfill in Plattekill. DePew said the board had passed a resolution under the previous administration of Supervisor Joseph Croce stating that the town didn’t want a landfill within its borders.
“I would like to say: ‘Don’t trash Plattekill,’” said DePew, who urged the board to pass another resolution denouncing any plans to have a county landfill in the town.

Supervisor Jennifer Salemo said the Hertel Landfill had been shut down in the past due to contamination.
“Why would we want to bring a landfill back into our town,” Salemo said. “If we were to open up a landfill again, we’re going backwards. I don’t like to make any decisions based on fear, but we are going to protect the town. We’re not going to let another landfill come into our town again.”

Sis Morse said town residents will rise up in large numbers to oppose a landfill.

“The county will be surprised, but the people of Plattekill fight for our survival,” she said. “I’m sure everyone in Plattekill will stand firm with the board that there’s no more landfills here.”

Esther Coppola, a former member of the town planning board and the Ulster County Planning Board, said this isn’t the first time county officials have looked at Plattekill as a possible site for a landfill.

“Keep your eyes open to what’s happening,” Coppola warned board members. “It’s done very fast, very quickly and very sneakily.”

Coppola said she didn’t see any upside to having a landfill in the town.

“Is it going to bring us business?” she asked. “Is it going to bring us clean industry? Is it going to bring us water and sewer? Is it going to enhance our town? Is it going to lower our taxes?”

“It’s not coming into Plattekill,” Salemo replied. “It’s just not going to happen.”

Salemo said she wanted to forward a draft resolution opposing a landfill to the town’s lawyer before the board voted on it at the next meeting on March 1.

In other news, the board voted to hire two new police officers at the recommendation of Police Chief Joseph Ryan. The board voted 5-0 to hire Alyssa Sanchez of Newburgh and Antonio Esposito of Goshen.

Both officers were sworn in by Town Clerk Donna Hedrick.