Historical Association Recognizes USA 250th Birthday - Molé Makes Acknowledgements & Public Hearing Set

DELHI - On July 4, 2026, the USA will celebrate 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed. Samantha Misa of the Delaware County Historical Association (DCHA) announced plans to honor the milestone at a Board of Supervisors meeting on Jan. 28th.

Although Delaware County was largely wooded and lacked official county boundaries in 1776, Misa noted a rich history of Revolutionary War veterans who settled here after the war. The association has uncovered over 300 veterans' burial sites thus far. While they have several commemorative events scheduled, Misa said the cemetery driving tour is the signature event. Participants will be transported across the county to visit several cemeteries and hear the history of Revolutionary War veterans buried there. The event is scheduled for July 16th. More information on the tour and other events, such as soap and candle making, is available on the website at dcha-ny.org.

To excite folks about the history, Misa told a tale of the lost soldiers who found themselves wandering along Elk Creek in 1778. The men crossed through the county from Schoharie County on a mission to eliminate a Native American village in Unadilla County. After a successful raid, Misa said they promptly got lost in the vast wilderness of Delaware County. The team marched along Elk Creek, believing they were following the Delaware River back home. They left a baonet behind, which is now preserved by DCHA.

In another discussion, Chairman Tina Molé reported positive outcomes for a meeting with Congressman Josh Reilly of the 19th district. On Tuesday, Jan. 27th, the Congressman met with Molé, Sheriff Craig Dumond, Middletown Supervisor Glen Faulkner, Public Health Director Amanda Walsh, Economic Development Director Glenn Nealis, and Planning and Watershed Affairs Director Shelly Johnson-Bennett. Molé reported that county staff came prepared with substantive comments and questions that effectively highlighted issues consequential to Delaware County. “I think it was an excellent conversation,” she said.

Molé also thanked all county workers involved in the difficult decision to close down non-essential departments on Monday, Jan. 26th. “The decision to close the county is one of the hardest decisions to make,” she noted, explaining that with four different union groups, it can be challenging to organize. She further thanked all essential staff who worked to remove the snow.

A public hearing was scheduled Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 1 p.m., with the regular monthly meeting directly preceding. The hearing is to elicit comments on the proposed local law waiving residency requirements for the Sheriff’s office. The law, if adopted, will permit deputy sheriffs or corrections officers to reside in adjoining counties.

The following resolutions were approved:

Veterans Service Agency employees are permitted to hold more than one county position until Dec. 2026. The department requires clerical assistance, according to the resolution.

Several corrections of the current tax roll were accepted.

Supervisors committed to 100% of costs for engineering, design, right-of-way incidentals, and acquisition for the bridge replacement project over Spring Brook in Colchester. They allocated $28,707 to these project phases. The project may be eligible for state or federal reimbursement.

The County Clerk’s Office was awarded a $74,874 grant from the Local Government Management Improvement Fund to digitize county records.