Koutnik Set To Retire As Season Starts In Oneonta, 5 Out, 7 Plan To Run For City Council By JIM KEVLIN & JENNIFER HILL Usually, roses are budding before local candidates start circulating nominating petitions. This year, with the primary for state races joined with federal offices and moved up from September to Thursday, June 25, petitions are being circulated before the first crocus. That change set off a flurry of electioneering in the past few days. In the City…
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County Board Committee Adjusts Policy To Affirm Public, Press Have Rights Regarding the county Board of Representatives’ policy, “Use of Photographic and Recording Devices At County Meetings,” the stated goal – “to allow meetings to be conducted in an orderly manner” – was never objectionable. Two aspects of the policy were: One, that reporters need to “sign in” (i.e., register with a local government to do their job) and, two, if failing to do so would be “excluded” from board…
We Must Decide If We Want Them Here MARIJUANA SHOPS? By JENNIFER HILL County Board Must Give OK To Pot Stores You can smoke it in Otsego County if marijuana is legalized – but can you sell it? Legislation now being considered in Albany would legalize use of recreational marijuana statewide, but individual counties must decide whether dispensaries would be permitted to sell pot. If such dispensaries were approved, the City of Oneonta, towns and village would be able to…
Farmers’ Market In Chamber Hall Of Fame By LIBBY CUDMORE COOPERSTOWN – For Ellen Pope, Otsego 2000 executive director, The Cooperstown Farmers’ Market isn’t just a place to pick up some fresh produce for dinner. It’s a piece of the community. “Having it here has added to our quality of life,” she said. “It gives people a reason to come downtown on the weekends.” The Farmers’ Market is one of six businesses that will be inducted into the 2019 class…
Work Starts On County’s Energy Plan By PATRICK WAGER ONEONTA – Now, the hard work begins. What’s now called Otsego County 21-member “Energy Working Group” will convene for the first time at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in Old City Hall. And coming out of the Otsego County Chamber’s “Energy & Infrastructure Summit” two weeks ago at The Otesaga, the word “compromise” is in the air. “I don’t see compromise as being a dirty word,” said county Rep. Michele Farwell,…
Koutnik Votes ‘No’ On ‘Climate Pledge’ Draft As Too Weak But SWECC Committee, 4-1, Forwards Compromise Document To Full Board By JENNIFER HILL • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com ONEONTA – Saying the language “was softened,” County board Vice Chair Gary Koutnik, D-Oneonta, today voted against sending a “Climate Smart Community Pledge” resolution, as revised, to the full board for action March 6. However, his colleagues on the Solid Waste & Environmental Concerns Committee nonetheless agreed to forward the adjusted resolution, 4-1, for…
EDITORIAL LESSONS FROM OTSEGO CHAMBER EARTH SUMMIT No, We Can’t Save World Alone; Yes, We Can Embrace Opportunity The debate around here has appeared to be all about energy. Listening to 19 content-rich, tightly packed presentations – 15 minutes, 15 minutes, 15 minutes – at the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce’s “Energy Summit: Infrastructure & Economy,” Thursday, Jan. 31, at The Otesaga, you’d have come to a different conclusion. The discussion’s all about jobs. Energy is the means. Which can…
For Now, AllOTSEGO Suspends Videotaping County Rep Meetings Yet Policy – Register Or Be Expelled – Isn’t In State Law, County Attorney Says COOPERSTOWN – County Attorney Ellen Coccoma today acknowledged a new requirement that the public and the press register before taking photographs or videos at county board meetings is not contained in state law. “The law is silent on this,” she replied when asked if the state Freedom of Information Act allows elected bodies to require reporters, photographers and citizens…
Firefighters Fear 4 Stories Too Tall For Hampton Inn Will Coop, Oneonta Departments Provide Ladder Trucks? Planners Ask By PAT WAGER • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com HARTWICK – Emotional firefighters shared their worries about a proposed Hampton Inn & Suites’ four-story building with the Hartwick Town Planning Board this evening “I’m one of the ones who will be entering the building if something happens,” declared Chris Doucas, Hartwick Company #2 first assistant fire chief. “ I think that what I have to…
170 PARTICIPANTS HEAR MANY IDEAS FOR FUEL FUTURE Chamber’s Rubin: Exciting Information Exchanged, But ‘Now The Work Begins’ By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – In the end, 170 – up from 125 a week ago, and 155 a couple of days ago – today listened for eight hours to presentations on the United States’ – and Otsego County’s – energy future from some of the most knowledgeable people in New York State. The venue was the Otsego County…
