DAMASCUS – The Damascus Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on July 21 to join the Upper Delaware Council, Inc. (UDC), becoming the non-profit organization’s first Wayne County, PA municipal member in the organization's 20-year history.

The three Pike County townships that share the river – Lackawaxen, Shohola and Westfall – are members.

“We are delighted that Damascus Township has exercised its option to join the UDC,” said 2008 Chairperson Alan Bowers, who represents Westfall Township, PA.

“Unity among the river valley municipalities is important as we continue advocating for the conservation of our resources and the protection of the quality of life that we enjoy here. I thank the Board of Supervisors and the citizens of Damascus for their decision to work with us,” he added.

Damascus Supervisors Jeff Dexter, Charles Grady and Jason Roberts had attended UDC meetings as observers, and recently invited UDC officials to attend their July 21 monthly meeting to discuss membership issues. UDC Executive Director Bill Douglass and Shohola Township, PA Representative George J. Fluhr offered a presentation and answered questions posed by the supervisors and the audience.

Township Board Chairman Dexter noted that the supervisors “did our homework” before taking the action to join the UDC.

A survey taken over the winter of 2007 to provide research into the development of the East Central Wayne County Comprehensive Plan revealed that 67% of Damascus Township residents and 75% of non-resident respondents favored joining the UDC.

“People had been asking us, ‘When are you going to do it?’ We attended meetings, asked questions, and came away impressed with the types of discussions and the amount of information that was available. You have everyone there together at the table. We feel it’s important to keep ourselves educated, present our views, and have our say in what goes on in the river valley,” Dexter said.

Full membership would consist of the 15 towns and townships that border on the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, along with the State of New York, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Delaware River Basin Commission, the National Park Service, and the former Upper Delaware Citizens Advisory Council.  With the decision of Damascus to join, only the remaining three Wayne County townships - Berlin, Manchester, and Buckingham – are not members.  All municipalities on the New York side have joined.