2nd County Rep Runs

For Common Council

Scott Harrington Announces In 6th Ward

By JENNIFER HILL  • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

ONEONTA – Another former Otsego county rep, Scott Harrington, is running for Common Council in November.

He will seek the Sixth Ward seat, which Council member and Deputy Mayor Russell Southard has held for two terms.

Yesterday, Len Carso announced he would run for the Ward 5 seat, which Council member Dana Levinson is vacating at the end of the year.

Five of the Council’s eight members, all of whose terms are ending this year, are not seeking re-election. Earlier today, Mayor Gary Herzig said he didn’t know why so many of the current office holders decided not to run again.  Carson and Harrington are the only two Council candidates so far.

Like Len Carson, who just declared his candidacy for Ward 5, Harrington, 42, first made sure the current office holder, in this case, Southard, was not planning to run for re-election before deciding to run for the seat.  And like Carson, he is a registered Republican, but says, “In a small town, it’s not about what party you belong to.  It’s doing what’s right for the people.”

Harrington said he wants to focus on attracting more businesses to Oneonta and sees Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta as key to achieving that.  Another priority is to make the railyards ready for companies to move in and set up shop there.  “Companies want to know a place is ready for them,” he said.

Harrington has a long career in public safety.  He has been the Faculty Liaison and Administrative Specialist in Hartwick College’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety for the past five years.   He worked as a police officer and served as constable in the Town of Oneonta; he was a paramedic for the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad and the Cooperstown Medical Transport; and he served as a volunteer firefighter for West Oneonta’s Fire Department.

He also has experience in local government, having representing District 13 on the Otsego County Board of Representatives for two terms.  Harrington currently is the Deputy Chair of the city’s Zoning Board, appointed for two three-year terms by Mayor Herzig.

Harrington received his Associate’s degree from Herkimer County Community College in Criminal Justice.  He and his wife, Kerriann, who is the city’s Deputy City Clerk, have two daughters, ages 12 and 4.