Coop Board of Trustees: ‘No’ to Proposed Sign Law Amendment

By DARLA M. YOUNGS
COOPERSTOWN

Following numerous meetings and a public hearing, the Cooperstown Board of Trustees voted 6-1 on the evening of Monday, October 28 against a proposed amendment to the village’s existing sign law. If approved, the sign law would have been changed to allow banners to be placed on New York State Electric and Gas utility poles on portions of four streets in the Village of Cooperstown—Lake Street, Pine Boulevard, Chestnut Street and Glen Avenue.

The impetus for the proposed change—Local Law 11 of 2024, Sign Law Amendment—was a request from Toddsville resident and Cooperstown Central School graduate Joanie Parrillo to hang “Hometown Heroes” banners, honoring local veterans, in the village. The banners can be seen in communities throughout Otsego County and New York State, and have become a popular way of honoring service of individual veterans, but the village’s current sign law would prohibit hanging of such banners on public property.

Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh was the lone vote in favor of amending the law. Tillapaugh was the first village representative to speak when discussion of the sign law amendment officially opened, following a public comment period during which no members of the dozen or so audience members took the floor.

Though attendance was sparse, interest was not. It was announced that Helmut Michelitsch, owner of Metro Cleaners, had hand-delivered more than 60 letters in support of the sign law amendment and the Hometown Heroes banner program prior to the meeting, in conjunction with Cooperstown VFW Post 7128. Three other letters and one e-mail—evenly split between support for and opposition to the law change—were submitted to the record for consideration by village trustees.

In her statement, Tillapaugh dispelled what she deemed to be misconceptions regarding the implications of the sign law change, including concerns about distracted driving and other safety issues, as well as possible loss of control over the program by the village. She also pointed out that, while there are veteran monuments located in the village, village officials cannot take credit for those. Tillapaugh’s full statement can be found on page 12.

Recalling Cooperstown area military personnel who lost their lives in service of the nation—Private First Class Robert Atwell, Sergeant John Winslow and Marine Sergeant Kevin Coulman—Tillapaugh said, “A face is so important…I realize that I am most likely the lone vote for this change to our sign law. I am also the only one sitting here who knew those individuals and will remember their faces. Would I have donated money for banners for Bobbie, Michael and Kevin, so they could be remembered in their hometown? Absolutely. It would be the least I could do.”

Deputy Mayor Cindy Falk had the floor next, thanking everyone who had spoken on the topic in the spirit of participatory government and thanking the veterans in attendance for their service.

“I’ve thought a lot about what makes Cooperstown alike and different from other communities,” Falk continued.

Ultimately, Falk said she opposed the sign law change, citing Cooperstown’s role in the county as a destination and its higher volume of pedestrian traffic. She also said she was not willing to let NYSEG make decisions regarding banner approval. The purpose of the current sign law, Falk said, includes preserving a sense of place and scenic views. She pointed out that the proposed changes to the law are opposed by the village Planning Board and the former Planning Board chair.

Trustee Joseph Membrino, also opposed to the law change, read from a prepared statement.

“Trustees do not enact legislation in isolation. Our village has 13 boards and committees on which approximately 60 village residents serve, as the trustees do, without compensation. Decisions on what laws to enact and how they are written and administered are informed by the work of the village’s boards and committees, and the public,” Membrino read.

“This is true of our sign law, which ensures the right of free speech, provides for commercial advertising, and protects vehicular and pedestrian safety by limiting visual clutter and discouraging distracted driving. Our law does all of this while caring for Cooperstown’s rich history, scenic streets, businesses, museums, religious institutions, and landscapes, all of which benefit residents and visitors from around the nation and across the world. The Planning Board, in independent deliberations, reached a reasoned decision to recommend that the trustees not approve the proposed sign law amendment. The Planning Board’s recommendation, appropriately, has weighed heavily in my review of this matter.”

The full text of Membrino’s statement can be found on page 12.

Trustee Richard Sternberg was not in favor of the law change, saying that the “rules are not clear.” He also said he viewed the Hometown Heroes banners as “self-aggrandizement for some people.”

Trustee Hanna Bauer followed Falk’s lead in thanking veterans for their service, but did not approve of the law change.

“We don’t need to do what every other village does,” she added.

Trustee George Fasanelli said he was a proponent of monuments to honor veterans, versus the temporary nature of the banners themselves.

“Monuments are timeless,” he said.

Last to speak was Trustee Audrey Porsche, who said that while she has a special place in her heart for the military, she had recently driven through Rensselaer and “the banners look awful—not a very fitting memorial for our veterans.”

When put to vote, Local Law 11 of 2024, Sign Law Amendment, was overwhelmingly defeated by a margin of 6-1.

Parrillo, who has been spearheading the Hometown Heroes banner program initiative locally, told board members before leaving the room, “You should all be ashamed of yourselves.”

Outside, following the vote, Parrillo said, “I have found through this experience with the village how self-centered and ignorant the people here are. These banners would fit in with this historic village. You may not want one in front of your home, but those men and women didn’t choose to go to war, either. You should honor them.”

Floyd Bourne, commander of Cooperstown VFW Post 7128 said at the public hearing on Monday, September 23 that both the VFW and the American Legion are tax exempt and would be willing to take a lead role in the local Hometown Heroes banner initiative, were it to move forward.

When asked on Tuesday, October 29 how the community’s veterans felt regarding the vote, Bourne—consulting with other VFW officers—said, “We have no comment at this time.”