Capitol Attack, Riot Resolutions Passed Routinely – Then, Oops! By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – After last month’s hour-long fiery debate at the county board meeting over resolutions expressing contrary views on the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, both resolutions went through routinely at today’s meeting as part of the consent agenda. Well, almost. County Rep. Rick Brockway, on Zoom from his West Laurens home, answered a question his wife was relaying to him from…
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All GOP County Reps Ready To Run Again By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – All Republican members of the county Board of Representatives plan to run again this fall, according to Dan Wilber, R-Burlington, who has been designated to recruit candidates. Wilber said his goal is also to run Republicans, who now control six of the 14 districts, in all district seats now held by Democrats. Democrats control seven districts, although – with Conservative Meg Kennedy voting…
Village, County, City Completing Review Of Police Procedures By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com With April 1 a few weeks away, it’s crunch time. Following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis last spring, Governor Cuomo issued an order requiring all 330 communities in New York State with police departments to form Community Advisory Boards to review “policies and procedures” by that date. That covers three governments in Otsego County: • The Village of Cooperstown: Monday, Feb. 22, the Village Board…
State Sen. Jim Seward Joins Community Foundation Board Former state senator Jim Seward, R-Milford, who retired Dec. 31 after representing the county in Albany for 34 years, has joined the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of Otsego County (CFOC) . “My top priority has always been to work hard and collaborate with others to improve the quality of life for all those who live, work and are raising a family in this wonderful area,” Seward said on his…
County Police Review To Be Unveiled 3/3 COOPERSTOWN – The county’s Law Enforcement Task Force is planning a forum Wednesday, March 3, at the county board’s monthly meeting, to unveil its review of the county Sheriff’s Department procedures and policies, as required by Governor Cuomo’s order of last June 12. County board chairman David Bliss, R-Cooperstown/Town of Middlefield, said the public will be able to view the presentation via the county’s Facebook page, and comment via email or mail through…
Herzig, Bliss Frustrated County Still Awaits Vaccine By CHRYSTAL SAVAGE • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com For now, Otsego County is not getting the COVID-19 vaccines it should, according to Mayor Gary Herzig and county board Chairman David Bliss. Both men represent the county on the Mohawk Valley Regional Control Room, which briefs local officials weekly on the state’s COVID-19 response. The county’s not getting “proportionate distribution,” the amount based on its relative population to the rest of the state, Herzig said…
Democratic Resolution Decrying Jan. 6 Attack Poised For Passage 3/3 Republican Resolution, That Also Decries Riots, May Be Languishing By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Both Late Resolution G and Late Resolution H may become the position of the county Board of Representatives. But H, the Democratic resolution, which decried the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, but didn’t mention summer-long riots in U.S. cities, currently has a better chance of becoming board policy. Meg Kennedy, who…
Local Governments Should Tend Our Roads, Not Our Minds Do we really expect our local elected officials to tell us what to think? Quite the opposite, probably. And yet instead of focusing on paving streets, keeping tax at a reasonable level, and providing whatever might be considered essential services, they seem increasingly determined to do just that. Three examples popped up in the past few days that suggest this may be spinning out of control, including at the February meeting…
County Board’s Partisan Divide Comes To Fore Resolutions On Hot Current Issues Blunted, Or Sent Back To Committee By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com COOPERSTOWN – Partisan perspectives led to lively debates this morning at the February meeting of the county Board of Representatives, but the three related resolutions were blunted or failed to reach the floor. First, a resolution – to chide Assemblyman John Salka and state Sen. Peter Oberacker for a bill specifying New Yorkers can refuse…
County Board Increases Bed Tax 50% On Sept. 1 COOPERSTOWN – The county’s bed tax will increase by 50 percent after Sept. 1, the county board decided unanimously a few minutes ago. The bed tax will rise from 4 percent to 6 percent, and is being levied in the fall to avoid have an impact on people who have already booked rooms for this summer.…