Evacuations witnessed at resort

By Dan Hust
PHILLIPSPORT — Machne Bnos Square, the former Homowack Lodge in Phillipsport, appeared to have been evacuated Sunday evening.
Shortly after the court-ordered deadline of 5 p.m., school buses and a charter bus were arriving at the complex to load dozens of girls and their families who had been staying at the crumbling resort as part of a girls camp run by Congregation Bais Trana.
Due to a host of health, safety and sanitary issues, the state Department of Health (DOH) successfully argued in Sullivan County Court last week that an imminent danger was posed to the occupants of the old hotel.
Judge Burton Ledina did extend the deadline from Thursday to Sunday at the request of the congregation’s attorney, Perry Meltzer, who said the camp needed time to notify parents/ guardians and make alternate housing arrangements (rumored to be the Raleigh in South Fallsburg).
However, the camp has been under an order to evacuate since July 27, and when that was only partially complied with, the DOH moved to have the court force an evacuation.
Notably, no authorities from the town, county or state were visible during Sunday’s evacuation. DOH spokesman Juan Merino said a state health official was on site Sunday.
“I can confirm that the camp was evacuated yesterday,” Merino said on Monday.