Editorial Lacking Options, Celebrate Vets In Our Hearts It was shocking to hear the powers-that-be in veterans organizations – not locally, but regionally and statewide – have directed local posts not to commemorate the sacrifice of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines this Veterans Day. Sure, this is the COVID-19 era, and we have to be cautious. But such commemorations are mostly held outdoors – in Oneonta, at the Veterans’ Monument in Neahwa Park; in Cooperstown at the World War I…
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Editorial - Page 20
EDITORIAL Let’s Understand History, Not Censor It Are we seeing a trend here? In June, one of Cooperstown Trustee MacGuire Benton’s constituents was walking his or her dog and noticed the word “Indian” on the historical marker at Council Rock. Expressing his or her concern with the trustee, he raised the alarum at the June Village Board meeting, and a resolution was offered to remove the offending word from all public plaques in “America’s Most Perfect Village.” It turned out,…
EDITORIAL Whoever Wins, Let’s Take The Long View Don’t Let Nation Come Apart; Next Election 2 Years Away Not a great choice. On the one hand, Donald John Trump, 74, the Republican incumbent, who made dramatic advances in China relations, trade, border security, Mideast peace and the economy in his first term, but whose erratic behavior, particularly in combatting COVID-19, has eroded support. On the other hand, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., 77, the Democratic challenger, prepared for the presidency by…
ENDORSEMENT EDITORIAL United We Stand, With Oberacker, Dan Buttermann This year, Otsego County faces a big challenge, and big opportunities. The threat: State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, is retiring after representing us in Albany for 34 years, where he was able to maintain Otsego County at the center of the 50th District, then the 51st District, through three redistrictings. A Republican when the Senate was usually Republican, he partnered with our Democratic then-assemblyman, Bill Magee of Madison County, to obtain (probably…
EDITORIAL In Places Like Oneonta, Town Needs Gown, Vice-Versa Both college presidents, SUNY Oneonta’s Nancy Kleniewski and Hartwick’s Margaret Drugovich, were key members of the City of Oneonta’s DRI committee. It was formed in 2015 to figure out how best to spent $10 million provided by Governor Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The committee, no doubt, benefited mightily from both leaders’ wisdom, experience working within institutions and calm demeanors; no bomb-throwers there. In turn, Kleniewski and Drugovich likewise benefited, no doubt,…
EDITORIAL Let’s Stick With It: We’re Beating COVID-19 COVID-19 numbers are rising again nationally, but we’re zigging as the nation zags. As this edition went to press Tuesday, Oct. 13, SUNY Oneonta had not reported a single COVID case in the previous five days. This, in an institution that had 100 infestations in one night at the end of August. Since infections there totaled 712, and they closed the campus until after Thanksgiving. So zero-zero-zero-zero-zero is particularly welcome news. •…
Editorial Can Sanctuary Energy Be Channeled Into Reform? In 2017, you may remember, the Village of Cooperstown dipping its toe in the “sanctuary” pond. The Village Board passed a resolution telling the federal government it could not depend on the cooperation of Cooperstown police if ICE – U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement – were to launch a local raid. Happily, ICE was occupied with real hot-spots and the resolution sort of faded away. • Now, another idea is on the table:…
County Treasurer Ruffles Has Way Out Of Crunch At 194 Main St., Cooperstown, the seat of Otsego County government, there’s been wailing and gnashing of teeth since COVID-19 arrived six months ago. Revenues dried up. Fifty-nine jobs were chopped. The county board waited fearfully as state and federal mandarins declined to pay back money spent on mandated programs in 2019. The county reps pondered raising taxes above the 2 percent state cap, political hari kari. County Treasurer Allen Ruffles cut…
Barown Set Standard For County Municipalities With Teri Barown, the Village of Cooperstown got professional management right. In 11 years as village clerk, Barown earned the confidence of numerous village boards, of Democratic and Republican trustees alike. When the Katz Administration launched a $10 million redevelopment of the downtown – the Tillapaugh Administration continued it – it soon became clear grantsmanship was too time-consuming for an unpaid part-time board. With NYCOM’s blessing, Barown was promoted from clerk to administrator. A…
EDITORIAL Let’s Make 2020, ‘Year Of The Cooperstownians’ It’s Time For Trustees To Ask: What Can We Do For YOU? First, congratulations to Democrat Mac Benton and Republican Mary-Margaret Robbins for a hard-fought campaign for Cooperstown Village Board. Mac won, but both he and Mary-Margaret showed a lot of class – he in victory; she in defeat – after the Tuesday, Sept. 29, tallying showed he garnered 343 votes to her 308. He said her strong challenge will “make me…
