Leaves of Greene

TAX BREAK FOR IMPROVERS? Greenville’s Town Councilmen are evaluating a proposal that would soften the property tax burden for homeowners who make capital improvements. According to reports in The Greenville Local (Melanie Lekocevic) and The Greenville Press (Linda Fenoff), they will hold on October 15^th a public hearing on a plan whereby owners would not be obliged to pay the full amount of tax that would normally be added when assessed value goes up in consequence of capital improvements costing more than $3000. Instead, they would be exempted from the whole increase in the first year following the improvement. They would pay 12.5% of the normal additional tax in the second year, with increases being added in successive years until the full amount is due in the ninth year. The deal would apply to single-family and two-family homes; the increase in assessed market value must be at least $5000; and the exemption deal would top out at $80,000.

AWOL. Meanwhile, Greenville’s Planning Board chairman, Jim Kudlack, has joined Town Supervisor Aldo Cardomone in being unapologetically, uncommunicatively absent. Peter O’Hara has filled in for Mr Kudlack, for months, and Jim Mulligan has done so for Mr Cardomone. Legalities of replacing them officially are unclear.

SHOT at an East Catskill home and garden, recently: “fashion” pictures for the next T. J. Maxx catalogue. The site was selected by professional locator, via many photographs and comparisons. But the pictures themselves have nothing to do with the house or the garden or the scenery. They will appear in the company’s Winter catalogue. The Christmas tree, the “snow” and the other settings could be anywhere. Similarly, Pottery Barn managers spent a fortune recently on location hunting, and then local shooting by a crew of 30, for a catalogue. For all intents and purposes, however, the beautiful homes and gardens are not in the pictures.

BOB’S BACK. He’s nothing if not persistent. Robert Meringolo set up shop in front of the county courthouse on September 26^th, soliciting petition signatures in support of his sustained vendetta against a State Policeman as well as against all sorts of authorities who allegedly connive to cover or ignore GreeneLand’s corrupt condition. As reported in The Daily Mail (Jim Planck), Mr Meringolo was contending that Sgt. Patrick Cullen “has terrorized and broken the law against the citizens of Greene County” and he was distributing to passers-by a “position paper.” Ordered by Village Police Sgt. Brian Kozloski to move his sign and booth from their position along Main Street, he complied, while protesting to the sheriff’s department that he was not obstructing traffic (pedestrian or motorized) and was exercising his rights under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. His complaint may be legitimate. His crusade is something else. For pertinent information, type “Meringolo” in the Search Blog window on your screen (above left); that should lead to the March 2d edition of Seeing Greene.

“I’M NO DUMMY,” says Harry, ventriloquist Steve Charney’s loquacious pal; “I’m a wooden American.”

HOT TIP: “When bass are suspended and relating to baitfish this fall, turn your back on the shoreline cover and structure you’ve been targeting and switch to a blade bait to coerce the bite.” Got that? From Bassmaster magazine.

MEAN DOG? According to a headline in the CBC web site, “"Helmsley's dog gets $12 million, but leaves 2 grandchildren zilch." From WorldWideWords.

THE WEEKEND Oktoberfests at Hunter Mountain Resort ([518]263-4223) and at Blackthorne Resort ([518]634-2541). Banjo Burke-themed festival of Irish music workshops in East Durham ([607]225-0028). Autumn Affair in Windham with juried arts & crafts, live entertainment, Chinese auction… ([518]734-3852). Apple Harvest Festival at Angelo Canna Park in Cairo ([518]622-3939; www.caironychamber.com ). Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market as usual on Saturday at Historic Catskill Point, this time with music by the Cabin Still string band. Ginseng Festival on Sunday at Historic Catskill Point ([518]943-0989). Photo hike with ace photographer Susan Wides, starting at noon from Mountain Top Historical Society in Haines Falls, to sites that defined “picturesque” and “sublime” for Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School painters. About two hours. ([917]697-0334