Following more than a decade of service as a Councilman in the Town of Plattekill, Dean DePew Sr. was sworn in Monday as the new Supervisor along with three board members and other officials on January 1 at the Town Hall in Modena.

DePew, 61, will replace one-term Supervisor Jennifer Salemo, who chose not to seek re-election. Salemo attended the swearing in ceremonies that started at 11 a.m. on Monday.

DePew, who was endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties, won a two-year term as the town’s top official by defeating Democrat Michael Lembo 1,104 to 806 in the November general election.

After Town Justice Annamaria Maciocia was sworn in for another four-year term by Town Justice Garry Ashdown, she presided over the swearing-in ceremonies in front of current and former town officials along with many family members and friends of the elected officials.
Incumbent Councilman Wilfrido Castillo Jr. and newcomer Joe Hoppenstedt were sworn in after winning four-year terms on the board.

Incumbent James Fazio, who was appointed to the board on May 17 to fill the seat left vacant by former board member Darryl Matthews, was also sworn in after winning re-election to the board. He will serve out the remaining two years of Matthews’ term, which will expire at the end of 2025.

Former Deputy Town Clerk Sarah Nelson was sworn in as the new Town Clerk/Tax Collector. She replaced Donna Hedrick, who chose not to run for re-election for another four-year term. Nelson was unopposed for the position in the November election.

DePew told the Southern Ulster Times in an interview after being sworn in that there are a number of challenges that he and the town board will face in 2024 and beyond.

“There’s a lot of stuff in front of us we’ve been working on,” DePew said. “I anticipate accomplishing a great deal. I like to do it by the numbers. I love seeing things behind me as opposed to being in front of me. I plan on hitting things head on. I think we have a good solid board coming in for the next couple of years. I think we’ll work together well in the future to leave the town in a better place.”

DePew said he’s pleased the town received a grant to do work at Thomas Felten Park.

“I’d like to see some expansion at the park,” he said. “I’d like to see some additions down there as well.”
DePew said the town has applied for a grant for a new sidewalk on Maple Avenue in Clintondale.

“That’s a huge priority,” DePew said. “That sidewalk has been in disarray for years.”

The town has also received a grant for work on a bridge on Old Mill Road.

“We hope to get that work going in the spring,” he said.

DePew also said he’d like the town to finish up the second phase of the town’s comprehensive plan.
“There’s a lot of paperwork and a lot of administrative stuff that has to be done,” DePew said. “We’re going to hit the ground running and try to get that all accomplished as best we can.”

The town also has kept open a public hearing on a proposed local law banning motor vehicle racing in the town until January 17. At the December 7 meeting, DePew insisted that the proposed local law is “not a done deal by any means” and the board will continue to review the comments of the public before making a decision on whether to pass the law.

He said the town will also continue to oppose a landfill in the town. According to a recent published report, the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency has hired a firm to review, among other things, the HydroQuest study of potential landfill sites to determine whether the agency should support the science used when recommending two Plattekill locations for future operations.

DePew took the lead to lobby the Ulster County Legislature to pass a resolution last June to oppose the possible siting of a countywide landfill on two sites in the town.

“Of course, I heard recently they were going to revisit the HydroQuest study and I don’t know where that’s going to take it,” DePew said. “But I can assure you we’ll be on top of that.”

DePew said he plans to invite Ulster County Deputy County Executive Amanda LaValle to attend a board meeting to explain the county’s decision not to erect a solar project at the Hertel Landfill, a contaminated Superfund site that consists of 73.9 acres off of U.S. Route 44/55 in the town. That is adjacent to a 166.2-acre parcel listed in the HydroQuest study as a compatible area for a landfill.

“At this point, I’d like Ms. LaValle to come down and express to the board exactly what the county’s intentions are with those two properties,” DePew said. “And what the intentions are with siting any type of landfill in Plattekill. I personally, with the board, will work as hard as we can not to see that happen in the future. I do not believe Plattekill is a suitable place for a landfill.”