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NARROWSBURG – The Upper Delaware Council, Inc. (UDC) has confirmed its delegates for 2024 to oversee the non-profit organization’s coordination of the federal-state-local partnership dedicated to conserving the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.

Voting members are the eight New York towns and five of the seven Pennsylvania townships that border on the Upper Delaware River, as well as the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, who appoint representatives to serve their interests.

The Delaware River Basin Commission participates as a non-voting member. The National Park Service is the UDC’s non-voting federal partner.

Elected by their peers on Jan. 4 and sworn in by Town of Deerpark Town Justice Michael J. Worden on Feb. 1 to serve as 2024 officers were Chairperson Virginia S. Dudko (Town of Deerpark), Vice-Chairperson Jeffrey R. Dexter (Damascus Township), and Secretary-Treasurer Alan F. Henry (Berlin Township).

Following municipal reorganizational meetings, the 2024 roster is currently:

Town of Hancock – Fred Peckham, representative; Timothy Newman, alternate;

Town of Fremont – Jim Rodgers, representative; Jim Greier, alternate;

Town of Delaware – Harold G. Roeder, Jr., representative; alternate-vacant;

Town of Cochecton – Larry H. Richardson, representative; Sean Nearing, alternate;

Town of Tusten – Evan Padua, representative; Susan Sullivan, alternate;

Town of Highland – Christine Martin, representative; John Pizzolato, alternate;

Town of Lumberland – Nadia Rajsz, representative; Frank Guzman, alternate;

Town of Deerpark – Virginia Dudko, representative; Bill Dudko, alternate;

Damascus Township – Jeff Dexter, representative; Steven Adams, Joseph Canfield, and Scott Rutledge, co-alternates;

Berlin Township – Al Henry, representative; Paul Henry, alternate;

Lackawaxen Township – Doug Case, representative; alternate-vacant;

Shohola Township – Aaron Robinson, representative; Roger Saumure, 1st alternate; and Patricia Jeffer, 2nd alternate;

Westfall Township – Michael Barth, representative; alternate-vacant;

State of New York – Ryan A. Coulter, Region 3 Fisheries Manager, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), representative; Chris VanMaaren, NYS DEC Region 4 Fisheries Manager, alternate;

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – Timothy Dugan, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Delaware State Forest District Forester, representative; Christine Dettore, PA DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation Regional Advisor, alternate;

Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) – Steven J. Tambini, DRBC Executive Director, representative; Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, Deputy Executive Director, alternate; and

National Park Service (NPS) – Gay Vietzke, NPS North Atlantic-Appalachian Region 1 Director, representative; Lindsey Kurnath, NPS Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River Superintendent, alternate.

The UDC’s three full-time staff members are: Executive Director Laurie Ramie; Resource Specialist Kerry Engelhardt; and Administrative Support Stephanie Driscoll.

The UDC was created and mandated in 1988 by an Act of Congress to oversee the partnership of Federal, two States, and local governments to manage the 73.4-mile designated Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River.

The Council fills a vital role in the relationship between the National Park Service and the local communities, protecting home rule authority, safeguarding private property rights, and advising towns/townships on meeting the River Management Plan and Land and Water Use Guidelines.

The organization has been funded through a federal allocation, flat since its inception, with neither the State of New York nor the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contributing their shares. Despite funding challenges, the UDC has fulfilled its core responsibilities set out in the federal legislation for the benefit of the approximately 250,000 visitors each year and all those fortunate enough to live in the Upper Delaware River Valley.

All meetings of the Council and its committee are open to the public. For the schedule and more information, visit www.upperdelawarecouncil.org, call (845) 252-3022, or follow the Upper Delaware Council on Facebook, Instagram and X.