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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FROM: JMC Marketing Communications and PR
FOR: Lower Esopus River Watch (LERW)
Contact:
John Mallen 845 331-1200 (office) 917 833-8950 (mobile) john@mallen.com
David Straus, LERW director 845 255-5081 strausd@newpaltz.edu
MEDIA KIT: http://www.mallen.com/news/releases/122906.html
LERW Environmental Group Gives Ulster County Financials
But That's It. No More Data to Come
We will not be a political pawn. The defamation stops.
KINGSTON, N.Y., Friday, Dec. 29, 2006 – The Lower Esopus River Watch (LERW) today submitted six years of financial statements and IRS returns, meeting the Ulster County auditor’s Dec. 31 deadline for providing the information.
“But it stops here. We will respond no further,” LERW directors said, explaining why they have not supplied all the data demanded by the auditor.
With today’s submission of its 2000-2005 compiled financials and the IRS Form 990s for the same period, the not-for-profit volunteer environmental and education group said it has responded to six of the auditor’s eight information requests.
Financial and other information was requested in an Aug. 29 letter with an original Oct. 31 deadline. Some materials were provided Oct. 30 and the LERW and county auditor then agreed to extend the deadline to Dec. 31.
The group said it is reversing an earlier decision to comply fully and provide all of information demanded by County Auditor Lisa Cutten as of Dec. 31.
LERW directors say they will now follow the Dec. 13, 2006 resolution by the County Legislature’s Environmental Committee, directing them to provide more limited backup. Therefore, LERW said, it is not providing checks, receipts or inventory originally requested by Cutten.
No McCarthy-Like Witch Hunt
“LERW has been singled out and used as a political pawn,” stated Joel Schuman, a founder of LERW and current director. “The information requested has nothing to do with Ulster County's payments to LERW. The real target is Ulster County’s Environmental Management Council (EMC), and its director, Rick Fritschler, who blew the whistle on the County’s illegal sale of the priceless Chodikee Lake wetlands.
“Ulster County has one of the few remaining independent and effective EMCs in the state, and this is a thinly veiled attempt by the new Democratic administration to destroy it, similar to the recent successful (and shameful) dismantling of Dutchess County’s EMC,” Schuman said.
"Cutten admitted publicly, when questioned by legislators, that no other not-for-profit group or any other vendor which the county deals with has been asked to provide audits and receipts for personnel and purchases – not even the contractors involved in the county jail," Schuman said.
Cutten has asserted that LERW has received grant money from Ulster County, and is therefore subject to a detailed audit. The fact is that the money received from the county was payments for services which LERW provided and which it documented to the satisfaction of both the county and the state, the board stated.
The county auditor has questioned the not-for-profit legitimacy of the LERW. In her comments, Cutten emphasized LERW’s omission from the state Attorney General’s Charity Registry database, underscoring her lack of familiarity with state not-for-profit regulations. Because the LERW does not solicit or accept private donations, it is not required to be on the Attorney General’s list, the board continued.
Not only have Cutten’s unreasonable demands subjected LERW to a unique level of accountability and considerable unnecessary expense, but her irresponsible and ill-informed public statements also disparage the organization and the thousands of students, teachers and community volunteers who have been involved since 1997.
As a critical part of the Mid-Hudson Service Learning Institute (MHI) partnership, LERW, along with its partners Kingston Consolidated School District, SUNY Ulster, Ramapo College, Rondout Valley School District and Ulster County (through fiscal year 2005-06), provides service learning programs that not only benefit county residents, but serve as a model for programs throughout the state.
“Whether Cutten and her bosses are using LERW as a pawn in departmental politics, or she is trying to create media attention for personal aspirations, it stops here,” the board said. “There is absolutely no reason for a McCarthy-like political witch hunt.”
“Also, the time and funds required to meet the auditor’s unreasonable demands are taken away from time and funds that should be used for the important programs of LERW,” observed David Straus, another board member.
Wide Service and $7.2 Million Saved
There is no basis for Cutten’s assertion in the media that LERW received $2.6 million which has not been accounted for. Although Cutten did not ask for proof that the county actually received what it paid for, Ulster County's payments to LERW went through a more rigorously controlled process than other county payments and the delivered programs and services were well documented.
Letters from the state Department of Education, the source of the funds, and Kingston Schools, the main recipient of program services, attest to their satisfaction.
In fact, since 2003 LERW has been instrumental in saving Ulster County taxpayers $7.2 million, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, in complying with new storm water management laws. Annual savings of $1.8 million have benefited 10 municipalities (the towns of Ulster, Kingston, Hurley, Marbletown, Rosendale, Plattekill, Shawangunk, Esopus, the Village of Saugerties, and the City of Kingston) according to EPA compliance program estimates.
Not only is storm water runoff management crucial for environmental water quality, but there is a massive economic benefit that comes from helping the county and municipal governments avoid EPA fines of $37,000 a day per violation. Although Ulster County is still far from achieving compliance, because of the progress being made as a result of collaboration between LERW and the Ulster County EMC, no fines have yet been levied.
The county no longer has a role in the MHI partnership. Its matching fund program has been ended as has its financial management responsibility. Without the MHI partnership, the county has no plan, no personnel, no equipment and no budget to comply with federal storm water regulations.
About LERW
LERW is a private, not-for-profit group that plays a key role in the public-private partnership that helps cities and towns in the Hudson Valley meet environmental and other community needs.
LERW contracts with the Kingston Consolidated School District to execute the projects funded by service learning grants.
In this way, LERW provides resources and training to build local capacity to solve environmental issues. It uses the EPA - recommended “Watershed Approach Framework” which examines, assesses and develops plans and projects based upon the social, economic, historic, physical and environmental justice issues within geographically defined management areas (watersheds).
LERW executes projects by providing administrative support, tools, equipment and various “cutting-edge” technologies as well as organizing and supervising volunteer workers.
LERW uses the team-based service learning approach that links local officials (such as planning board members, town board members, Conservation Advisory Commission members) with teachers, students and community volunteers, all of whom are given professional training in a variety of sciences and technologies necessary to carry out projects within their communities.
Some of the projects LERW has participated in include water quality monitoring, forest management at municipal parks, trail construction and maintenance, erosion control on local streams, fire suppression on the Shawangunk Ridge, food pantry and soup kitchen support, elder care, fire prevention and home fire- safety programs, disaster preparedness, wetland restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, stream and roadside clean-ups and many other locally derived projects.
LERW also provides technical resources, such as Geographic Information Technologies (GIT), which include Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Remote Sensing (RS).
LERW in Action
In some years as many as 50 projects are conducted by student and community volunteers. In 2004, over 33,000 hours were logged by volunteers - which involved hosting the N.Y. state conference on Learn and Serve America -- the highest total to date. In 2005, 1,943 volunteers worked on community projectes: 156 teachers, 281 adult volunteers, 439 other volunteers and 1,067 students.
Clicke HERE to download a PDF document showing several LERW projects
To Download the Latest LERW financial statements please use the links below:
LERW 2000 Financial Statement
LERW 2001 Financial Statement
LERW 2002 Financial Statement
LERW 2003 Financial Statement
LERW 2004 Financial Statement
LERW 2005 Financial Statement
Please continue reading for more information about LERW.
Lower Esopus River Watch
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Q. What is Lower Esopus River Watch (LERW)?
A. LERW is a community-based, not-for-profit group that plays a key role in the public-private partnership that helps cities and towns in the Hudson Valley meet environmental and other community needs.
- Q. How and when did LERW start?
A. Joel Schuman and Lynne Gilson started LERW in 1992, after buying a house on the Esopus in the Village of Saugerties. They became interested in watershed issues and, with help from River Watch Network, developed a water quality monitoring program for students and citizen volunteers. When, after 3 years, the program grew too big for “mom and pop” to manage alone, they handed off control to an expanded board of directors.
- Q. Is LERW a not-for-profit organization?
A. Yes, the organization was granted certification as a not-for-profit corporation in 1992 by the State of New York and is a tax exempt organization under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)3.
- Q. Who runs LERW?
A. LERW is run by a board of directors. Current directors include: Dixon Onderdonk, Joel Schuman, David Straus, Jennifer Betell and Bruce Duffy.
- Q. Who is on the LERW staff?
A. LERW has no permanent staff or payroll. Its services and programs are subcontracted to other not-for-profits, colleges and universities, companies or consultants. It is a volunteer-run organization that contracts for professional services as needed to design, implement and provide support to local, regional and statewide service-learning efforts.
- Q. Can I join LERW?
A.Not at this time. The board has begun formulating an even more expansive vision for LERW. It is considering how LERW can involve more people in the area, besides educators and students. But you can participate in many of LERW’s educational or in-the-field programs or work directly with LERW to develop a program of your own to address watershed issues important to you and your community.
- Q. Where is LERW headquartered?
A. LERW is headquartered at its Burnt Swamp property, where it maintains a field office and equipment storage facility. The mailing address is PO Box 130, Cottekill, NY 12419, and the telephone number is (845) 338-1571.
- Q. What does LERW do?
A. LERW provides resources and training to build local capacity to solve environmental issues through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- recommended “Watershed Approach Framework” which examines, assesses and develops plans and projects based upon the social, economic, historic, physical and environmental justice issues within geographically defined management areas (watersheds). LERW provides the resources necessary to carry out locally derived projects including administrative support, tools and equipment, various “cutting-edge” technologies and professional support to volunteer efforts.
LERW uses the Service Learning approach to respond to identified community needs. This team-based approach links local officials (such as planning board members, town board members, Conservation Advisory Commission members) with teachers, students and community volunteers, all of whom are given professional training in a variety of sciences and technologies necessary to carry out Service Learning projects within their communities.
Some of the projects LERW has participated in include water quality monitoring, forest management at municipal parks, trail construction and maintenance, erosion control on local streams, fire suppression on the Shawangunk Ridge, supporting local food pantries and soup kitchens, elder care, fire prevention and home fire safety programs, disaster preparedness, wetland restoration, wildlife habitat improvement, stream and roadside clean-ups and many other locally derived projects.
Some of the technical resources provided by LERW are Geographic Information Technologies (GIT), which include Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positional Systems (GPS) and Remote Sensing (RS). LERW provides the equipment and training to conduct local programs in a scientific manner.
When broken out in detail, LERW participates in nine different areas. LERW:
- Supports volunteer efforts to monitor the health of the Lower Esopus watershed by assisting volunteers to take direct measurements of chemical and biological indicators in the water.
- Trains teams to assemble relevant watershed data and present it to the local, state and federal governments and the public so that people can make informed decisions on watershed matters.
- Teaches people how to use GIS, the computer-based mapping tools that have become indispensable in understanding the current environmental situation for any location
- Provides students with the opportunity to learn about watershed and community issues by working directly on problems of interest to them and their communities
- Organizes, hosts and manages local, regional and statewide conferences of educators, scientists, technicians, students and government officials and employees to learn about Service Learning, GIT and watershed issues
- Advises and trains people in organizations that want to undertake watershed-related projects, like stream bank repair or wildlife inventories
- Assists counties and municipalities in complying with environmental regulations under the Federal Phase II Storm Water Regulations of the Clean Water Act.
- Loans tools and equipment to private and government groups for environmental projects. LERW has purchased and maintains equipment which is available to the community for environmental Service Learning projects.
- Operates Service Learning projects for initiatives such as Ulster Landing Park. LERW oversaw and managed the construction and the linking of trails between the State’s Forest Management Unit built at Turkey Point and Ulster Landing Park.
- Q. Are LERW's programs effective?
A. Yes. In conjunction with its MHI partners, Kingston Consolidated School District (KCSD), Ulster County Environmental Management Council(EMC), SUNY Ulster, Ramapo College and Rondout Valley Schools, LERW has provided training to over 1,900 students, government officials and community members. The partnership’s program was selected by the New York State Education Department (NY SED) as one of the top four Service Learning programs in New York State. The partnership has received numerous local, regional, state and national awards and is recognized for the quality of its educational programming. Resolutions of both the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate recognized the MHI program as a model for statewide recognition.
LERW has also been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences as a leader in the field of community GIS training.
- Q. How did LERW get involved with storm water management?
A. When managing storm water runoff became a local government mandate, UC had no budget with which to comply. To help UC comply with these storm water runoff rules, the county resolved that the EMC would also be designated as the Water Quality Management Agency (WQMA). EMC/WQMA, in conjunction with its MHI partners, adapted the Conservation Advisory Commission (CAC2) LSA program to provide the necessary services to keep the county and ten other local governments in compliance with state and federal regulations (an unmet community need). LERW, through LSA projects, has contracted professional services and coordinated volunteers to carry out the county’s and towns’ mandatory storm water management plans.
- Q. How important is this?
A. It’s very important. If the county is not complying, the fine is $37,500 per day per violation. According to EPA compliance program cost estimates, UC, the towns of Ulster, Kingston, Hurley, Marbletown, Rosendale, Plattekill, Shawangunk, Esopus, the village of Saugerties and the City of Kingston have saved approximately $1.8 million a year since 2003 by using LERW and LSA volunteers, instead of commercial suppliers, to meet storm water compliance.Not only is storm water runoff management crucial for environmental water quality, but there is also a massive economic benefit. LERW has reduced financial risk by helping the county and local municipalities avoid enormous fines. LERW has reduced the drain on budgets and taxpayers by getting the work done through partnerships and coordinated volunteer efforts. Since 2003, UC and 10 municipal partners have met their permit compliance requirements through EMC/WQMA’s partnership with LERW.
LERW’s educational programs save the county money by increasing public awareness of storm water issues and by enabling local governments and individuals to make better (or at least more informed) decisions that affect storm water management.
Although UC, like most counties, has a long way to go before it is in complete compliance with the law, New York State acknowledges that UC, through LERW, is making a good-faith effort to correct the problems, so no fines have yet been assessed. LERW’s dedication to storm water management has provided a tremendous economic benefit to UC by deflecting storm water fines and assisting EMC/WQMA to get the work done, mostly with volunteers and by providing in-kind resources to assist UC secure grant funding to match the EMC’s budget at a ratio of dollar to dollar, lessening the burden on the county budget.
- Q. What is MHI and what does it do?
A. MHI is a partnership of public sector, educational and not-for-profit community organizations that coordinates LSA programs. It is organized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the participating groups.
Past or present members of the MHI include UC EMC, UCCC, Ramapo College, Kingston Consolidated School District (KCSD) and Rondout Valley School District. LERW is a catalyst in this institute.
- Q. How is LERW funded?
A. LERW earns most of its income as a service-learning provider. The flow of service-learning funds is as follows:
- NY SED applies for and receives federal grants through the Corportation for National and Community Service as authorized by the National and Community Service Act of 1990 for school-based Learn and Serve America (LSA) programs.
- KCSD, as an eligible school, applies for LSA grants,. As director of MHI, Rick Fritschler writes LSA grants on behalf of KCSD.
- KCSD contracts with EMC/WQMA to provide a complete LSA program as specified in the grant application.
- EMC/WQMA, in turn, subcontracts LERW (the NY SED-recognized Service Learning provider in the MHI partnership) to provide the service-learning programs. LERW provides support to EMC/WQMA staff and volunteers to execute the LSA programs.
Accordingly, through 2005, LERW served as a vendor to UC. It provided contracted services for the Learn and Serve America education programs and water-quality compliance programs.
When managing storm water runoff became a mandate, UC had no funds with which to comply. To help UC comply with these storm-water runoff rules, EMC/WQMA applied some LSA funding to storm water runoff projects that were executed by LERW, where volunteers did much of the work and LERW’s considerable portfolio of equipment did the heavy lifting.
LERW subcontracts work to various organizations, such as Frost Valley YMCA, City University of New York, Penn State University, and HACH Corporation.
The above is in accordance with the National and Community Service Act of 1990. As noted, these grants require a partnership between a school district, a not-for-profit organization, and a college or university, which is met by MHI.
- Q. What is LERW's relationship with UC?
A. Through 2005, LERW has been a vendor to UC as part of the MHI partnership, providing benefits in the millions of dollars to county government, as well as enormous personal benefits to its youngest citizens, and priceless environmental benefit to all of us. In past years, UC has provided both in-kind administrative support, as well as matching grant funding.
That relationship has changed in the current fiscal year. UC has reduced its commitment to MHI’s environmental goals. Because of UC government’s difficulty in understanding the program, its role in LSA program has been greatly reduced.
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